Grow a Sweet Potato Vine
Sweet potatoes in the U.S. are grown mostly in the South.
They are planted in the spring by "slips." These
are the small rooted pieces of the vine that grow from the
"eyes" or buds of the potato.
The
sweet potato produces vine-like stems that resemble the
philodendron plant. Place the sweet potato in a container
of water. Keep the top 1/3 of the potato exposed by placing
toothpicks into the sides. The pointed end should be down
in the water. In a few weeks a vine with several stems will
begin to sprout. The stems are weak; tie the stems to
a stake.
Sweet potatoes like a bright, sunny location and require
care like house plants such as ivy.
Fertilize about once a month.
If the sweet potato vine gets too long, cut it back a
few inches to force the vine to get bushier. The tip of
the vine that was pinched off can be rooted in water or
moist soil.
Your sweet potato vines can be planted outside in late
May to produce sweet potatoes that can be dug and eaten
in the fall.
Now go on to Case #6!
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