thinking of growing sweet potatoes, could use some input

[Ridgerunner]

You can try it Cat but I think it is heat more than anything else.

 

[the1honeycomb]

I just change the water and rinse them often some times I ut a baby asprin

 

[so lucky]

The one sweet potato I have in water has been putting out roots for several weeks, but no sprouts on top, out of the water. Today I took the potato out of the water and see a couple of sprouts growing out from the bottom, along side the roots. Will these sprouts be ok, being totally submerged? They are growing towards "up" of course. Do you suppose the potato should have been planted with the stem side up? (or down?) I know someone said it didn't make any difference, earlier, but this just seems odd.

 

[the1honeycomb]

Lol! It is a little odd just let it do its thing and it will work it out. Just give it clean water and let it grow

 

[so lucky]

Lol! It is a little odd just let it do its thing and it will work it out. Just give it clean water and let it grow

Well, on a whim (and before I saw this post) I put the offending tater in potting mix, with the roots buried, and the sprouts barely covered, pointing up. I used a clear plastic food container with a lid, and set it under the grow lights.
I'm going to try to catch the garden stores when they have sprouts this spring, as I don't think one potato is enough to feed my family all year, lol!

 

[the1honeycomb]

No but when it sprouts pull the bigger sprouts off replant them and before you can buy them in the store youll have dozens

 

[so lucky]

No but when it sprouts pull the bigger sprouts off replant them and before you can buy them in the store youll have dozens

Ooh! I can do that, I think!

 

[ducks4you]

I know somebody has probably touched on this, but I wanted to tell you 2 things about sweet potatoes that I've learned.
(1) Treated store-bought sweet potatoes will either grow for you and not grow at all--NO in betweens.
My DD left one in the middle of her apartment, no where near a window, and forgot about it...until it was growing like an indoor plant for her for about one year!
(2) You have to grow them in two stages--one to grow the viney tops, called "slips"--two to grow the slips in the ground and THOSE grow your sweet potatoes underground.
I found a GREAT site, where this couple really explains it, and they grow a lot of stuff, starting inside, and then grown in their small back yard.
http://www.17apart.com/2012/03/how-to-plant-sweet-potatoes-indoors.html
Great pictures. This has helped me a LOT. Soon I will be starting my 2014 sweet potatoes indoors from last year's harvest. They are NOT a difficult crop.

 

[bobbi-j]

I bought sweet potato slips on a whim at the greenhouse the other day. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. Plant them of course, but I'm wondering if I can put a trellis up for the vines to crawl up? How big do the vines get? Are they anything like squash and gourds? Do the plants produce more than one potato per vine? I don't even know how long they take to grow. It will be fun to see how this experiment works out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can try a trellis but I really don't think it will work. They spread out everywhere. it depends some on the variety, but plan on them totally carpeting the area all around where you put them for at least four feet radius and probably more like 5' or 6'. Some vines may go even further.

They produce a lot more than one potato per vine. Again, it probably depends some on variety and just how they grow, but maybe average 8 to 12 potatoes per plant? Does that sound right?

I can't remember where you are Bobbi or how long your growing season is. Sweet potatoes are a definite warm weather crop and have a long growing season. There is one way I know of to find out if they will grow and produce for you. Good luck!