Anyone ever start potatoes like this? Yes... another potato post

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

Recently we added a couple of guinea pigs to our family of critters. I was reading a list of things they liked to eat to my Mom and MIL and sweet potato leaves were on the list. My MIL had been to the store that morning and had sitting on the counter a sweet potato by coincidence. My Mom informed me if I took that very sweet potato- all nice and smooth and fresh from Kroger and put it in a glass of water it would grow.
REALLY? So I took that very sweet potato and gave it a try. Now just a couple of weeks later, here is my sweet potato:

Actually this picture is a couple days old, the leaves are much bigger now. I will post updates and let ya know if I get any potatoes from it down the road. In the meantime I will have some very happy guinea pigs. I figure in another week or so I can safely put it in some dirt and mulch mixture.

I'm stoked at this. I found a lone red new potato at the bottom of the potato bin today and it's getting it's own cup.
I gotta see if it will grow too.

 

[simple life]

Very interesting. I have heard of that before, I think my kids tried this in science class or something like that.
I have my first new potato sprout out in the garden today. Very excited about that. Keep us posted on how that goes.

 

[Tutter]

We used to grow them in jars all the time, and let the greenery run all over the place.

These days a growth inhibitor, I belive it it, is sprayed (?) on them, so while some will sprout, it's a lot more difficult than it used to be.

That's something to remember if you want to give them some of the potato. Either it should be grown by you, or at the least, peeled.

Enjoy the new critters, guinea pigs are sweet animals.

 

[patandchickens]

You can do a similar thing with the tops of carrots and beets. Just lop the , like, 1/2-1" (heightwise) of the topmost portion of the carrot or beet, and set it in a plate with 1/4" of water, or use toothpicks to support it half-in a deeper container. The drop-in play ctr where my kids go actually just did this (the plate version) a couple weeks ago; they were dubbed "jungle islands" You have to pot them up and coddle them once they develop the start of new roots.

I have *heard* (never tried it myself) that you can actually replant the sprouted/rooted carrot top and it will produce new, albeit possibly funky-looking, carrots that can eventually be eaten.

Green onions (scallions) from the grocery store can also be planted and will regrow tops. Just plant the bottom portion with an inch or so of green, after you've eaten the upper green part. This is handy if you just one a perpetual one or two plants for occasional sniplets.

Nice sweet potato there

Pat

 

[Nubsmum]

I don' know much about Sweet Taties but I have read up on them some because I ordered starts this year. I put in 25. So far so good. I read that you can start them from a tater but not sure how you would know if it was treated to inhibit growth.

I guess you have nothing to lose it you want to give it a try.

My starts have only been in the ground about a week so not much to report.

Good luck.

 

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

The sweet potato is looking really pretty. I may just leave it in a glass there on the kitchen window sill so I can pluck leaves for the little piggies any time. I don't think they eat the actual potato, just the leaves.

I gotta try the carrot thing too now. Both the chickens and the the little wheeker guys love carrot tops! I may just have a long line of little cups and saucers in my window sill.

I don't know why I am so blown away by things growing this way. I am the worlds worst about venturing into any place that has plants and picking up any broken off bits I find and taking them home to grow. Many of those I get to root by putting in a glass of water. I guess it just never occored to me veggies could be done that way too.