Sweet Potato Vines

I want to start my sweet potato tubers that I saved from last year,
How do all of you start yours? In water or soil? Do you treat them as regular potatos, plant at least 3 "eyes"?

As you can probably tell its the first time I've ever save and replanted these.

Paul

I start mine in water, top of a jar, toothpicks holding it where it just touches the water. When the shoots get about 3" I break them off, put in water for a couple of days and pot up. I had more than I could use last year this way.

Tig, do you cut your potatoes?

no. I asked about 50 times last spring on how to start them, and went with this way. I just take off the sprouts and let them keep going. You won't believe how many plants you will get with one potato. Just change the water daily.

I don't understand when you say you take off the sprouts.
Cut a section of potato with a sprout attached?

The sprouts are actually little plants, Paul. Skinny white things. They can be pulled off the main tubor where they attach to it. There will be no roots or anything. Pretty amazing creatures! If your ground is good and warm, and prepared, those sprouts can be inserted directly into your row, watered in, and they will take off.

The system tiG uses works great. I've never potted them up tho, just put the sprouts (actually at this point called "slips") directly in the garden. I imagine you would benefit from potting up tho since your season may be a bit shorter than ours is.

paul, they break off really easy. some might come with a tiny piece of potato when it breaks, either way, they root really quickly.

Thanks for the tips!

where do you get the tubers?

I originally started with a small plant from the nursery, two years ago (or maybe I traded, not sure, I've grown them before too)
then I plant in well worked ground or a huge pot. They won't make a potato in a small pot. Then dig them in the fall before frost and store in cool room.

Pebble
I have a ton of them, I'll be glad to send you some for postage.
I have both Blackie (Burgundy) and Margurite (Chartuese).

They are about the same size a a regular potato maybe a 1/2 pound each.

Paul

Paul, please, please, please can I trade you something for these??? I'll E you in case you are bad like me and don't check back!!

I have to say that the biggest tubers I've ever had came out of a small one gallon pot. I put a Blackie and a Margurite in the pot. It only got about 3-4 hours of sun. I couldn't figure out why it wilted all the time, but decided it was because of the small pot. So, I watered and watered and that fall right before the first frost I dumped the pot and it was all roots and tubers. I'm sure the Blackie tuber must have weighed 3 pounds and the other wasn't far behind. Only one tuber per plant. In a circular area I have grown sweet potatoes in, the tubers nearly filled a five gallon bucket, but they didn't hold over because I had them in the cold, but not freezing, garage. I'm old, but still learning.

Paul,
I would love to have a small tuber or two if you have any to spare. I will have fuchsias in a few weeks or would you just like postage (if you can spare tubers)?
Thanks
FuchsiaFan

Can one use this method with sweet potatoes from the store?

tiG
So if I understand you correctly, you stick toothpicks in the tubers and suspend them in a container of water.
Break off the shoots when they appear, and then plant the shoots into a planting mix?
Do you cut the tuber at all before you put it in the water?

Thanks for all of you help.

Paul

I don't cut mine at all. it will put down a few roots. This green one put down all these roots in a week. Make sure you don't put your potato too deep in the water.

skyeblu, yes, you can use any sweet potato, but the ones being discussed have distinctive foliage, perhaps purple-black, chartreuse, or tricolor variegated. John

thanks.John.

tiG
How long after you put them in water does it take to produce "eyes"?

Paul

well, my blackies are taking their time. they have long roots but no shoots yet. So I'm waiting with you.

Thanks :)

Paul

I am sorry that I dumped pounds of Blackie potatoes last fall. I will try saving them this year. I have very poor results trying to overwinter the plants. I get mealy and the plant don't grow at all, so I can't take cuttings. How do you store potatoes over winter? Just toss in peat next to my canna tubers?

I put them in a pot in a cool corner. the peat way is probably better than mine:)

tiG, I can't even get mine to make roots. Mine are the Ace of Spades. I've never had trouble before. So, still waiting. Bought a plant the other day, just in case. Figured I could take cuttings at least.

I forgot all about the tubers last fall!! But I did take a lot of cuttings and they lasted throught the winter in the gh. Have several in pots and plan to set them out as soon as the ground dries up a bit.

Happy Spring!!

If anyone gets Ace of Spades to cooperate, I'd love one. :) I had heard of them, but never seen them until I went to Calla's last year. You know she sent me home with one. LOL I didn't get a tater though.