Inside: Don’t throw out that sweet potato! Learn how to turn sprouted sweet potatoes into plants in a few easy steps and harvest the gold come this fall.
I am a Sweet Potato Whisperer. . . It’s true. I’ve grown lovely orange potatoes the size of a small baby–no exaggeration. (I weighed the bounty.) I simply have a knack for growing them.
Years ago we couldn’t eat all of the harvest over the winter, and in the spring we noticed sprouts popping up on the leftover spuds. I’m not sure what possessed me to detach them and put them in a glass of water, but I did. That’s how I discovered they grow roots like any other plant cuttings. Within a little over a week I had sweet potato slips for planting in the garden for that year’s crop. I’ve done this lots of times over the years.
Two Steps
It’s really quite easy. First remove the sprout where it’s joined on the potato. Clean break. Second, put the sprout (or sprouts) in water. Within about a day or two you’ll see little white bumps forming on the part of the sprout that’s in the water. The little tiny leaves above the water line also start to grow. Pour out the water, replacing it with fresh water every other day or so. (I probably do it less often than that.) After about a week or two, the roots will be a nice size. You can plant these sprouts with roots (sweet potato slips) into the ground.
Planting Sweet Potatoes
Form a ridge of loose, well-drained soil about six to eight inches high. I make one long ridge row and plant the slips about 18 inches apart, with the roots in the soil and leaves above ground. Water often while establishing the plants, then not quite as often after they’re growing. . . In the fall we’ll continue the saga.
Need More Vines?
You might also consider planting these in containers for decorative purposes, much like I do with the red cabbage. Or try pairing them with other flowers, like you would the ornamental sweet potato vines, though I’m not sure how they will behave. Obviously you have a tuber you can consume at the end of the season, regardless. Might be fun to try.
Keep me posted on your sweet potato adventures!
Have you ever started sweet potato sprouts or other cuttings in water? Tell us about it in the comments.
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Planting Sweet Potatoes in a Cardboard Box
Unique Containers for Gardening