How to Start Decorative Potato Plants
Some may remember sweet potato vines growing in grandma's house. In past years, it was common for homemakers to have houseplants or decorative plants with things they had on hand since there were not many places to buy a houseplant. Sweet potatoes grow green vines that make a very pretty houseplant. Chances are you already have the ingredients needed. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 1 glass jar or pint canning jar
- 4 toothpicks
- 6 inch pot
- Potting soil, any type
Instructions
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1
Pick a large sweet potato that does not have any soft or black spots. It should already show small roots or "eyes" beginning to grow on the outside of the potato. Potatoes with shoots growing will grow faster. If you do not have one, just pick a healthy potato.
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2
Wash and scrub the sweet potato with the skin still on it. Remove any debris. Do not break the small shoots off.
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3
Push the toothpicks into the middle of the sweet potato at regular intervals. Do not push the toothpicks all the way into the potato. Leave at least 1/2 inch of the toothpick showing.
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4
Fill the jar half-full with water and place the sweet potato in the jar. The toothpicks are now the braces to keep the potato from falling to the bottom of the jar. Add enough water so the water level is approximately 1 inch from the lip of the jar.
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5
Place the jar and potato in a sunny window and after a few days, roots will be noticeable in the jar. Leaves will begin to grow within two weeks. Once the bottom of the jar is full of roots, remove the sweet potato from the jar and remove the toothpicks. Plant it in a pot with any potting soil. The roots and the bottom of the sweet potato must be under the soil. Water only when the soil dries out.
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Tips & Warnings
Start more than one sweet potato in other jars. When they are ready to pot in soil, combine all together to make one large plant.
