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I've just been reading about growing sweet potatoes from supermarket tubers - cutting them in half and suspending them in water until they sprout. Has any one tried this - or any other method of growing them apart from buying slips from the gardening companies?
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I've had a supermarket tuber suspended in water for a few weeks now and nothing yet. I tried it a few years ago and got some roots but no slips. I didn't cut it in half though, what is the reasoning behind that, do you know? -
I have rooted and 'sprouted' sweet potatoes several times.
Long sweet potato in a tall glass with water up to about half way. Leave it next to a radiator and usually within 3 weeks there are fine roots. A couple of weeks after that the shoots appear.
I've grown the shoots about a foot long then carefully sliced the sweetpotato into 3 slips so each slip has roots and shoots.
Then plant in a pot and leave in same place again.
Then watch the slips die
No idea why I can't ever seem to get past this point."Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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The article says that they used sweet potatoes that had eyes at the ends only. They were started at the end of December. They cut the potato in half and suspended it in water using cocktail sticks to keep most of the potato out of the water. Apparently the cut ends quickly sprouted roots but the shoots took longer - until April to become substantial. Each shoot was cut away with a bit of tuber still attached and stood those in water. These quickly grew roots and the foliage developed. Some were planted in a polytunnel end of May and others outside in June.
It says that you should wash the tubers well before trying to grow them as they can be coated with anti sprouting powder. Also some tubers have eyes along their length - not just at the ends and may make more shoots.
I'm going to try it!Comment
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I do not know, why you exactly fail, but highlighted I don't do.Originally posted by Nicos View PostI have rooted and 'sprouted' sweet potatoes several times.
Long sweet potato in a tall glass with water up to about half way. Leave it next to a radiator and usually within 3 weeks there are fine roots. A couple of weeks after that the shoots appear.
I've grown the shoots about a foot long then carefully sliced the sweetpotato into 3 slips so each slip has roots and shoots.
Then plant in a pot and leave in same place again.
Then watch the slips die
No idea why I can't ever seem to get past this point.
1. One foot. Think of potato chits. Dear me.
2. I do not slice. Ease of chit. And plant. Actually earlier than much roots would form. A few leaflets are coming at this stage.Comment
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After reading Nico's post about sitting them next to the radiator, I went and brought mine into the livingroom for a bit of heat.......... it has a tiny root on it so fingers crossed I get some top growth this time too.
Good luck
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There was a discussion on this before... let me have a gander to see if I can dig it up
Edit: can't find the thread I was on about, the others have nothing more than the above..Last edited by chris; 16-01-2012, 08:57 AM.Comment
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There was something this time last year Christ - I remember seeing it.Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better...Albert Einstein
Blog - @Twotheridge: For The Record - Sowing and Growing with a Virgin Veg Grower: Spring Has Now Sprung...Boing! http://vvgsowingandgrowing2012.blogs....html?spref=twComment
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I looked too before I posted but couldn't find anything quite like this! Thanks for looking!!Comment
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http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ato_45623.html - this is a previous discussion on sweet potatoes. I don't think they are worth the trouble.Comment
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Thanks Tam! I have the sweet potatoes and I wanted to grow plants from them - if possible. I don't want to buy ready grown plants as that isn't a challenge and while a good yield would be fantastic I'm not too worried about that either. Just finding out whether they can be grown and producing just one Sweet potato would please me. I'm a simple soul!!Comment
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I'm sure I read a thread about sprouting them, someone posted pics of them suspending with the cocktail sticks.. still can't find it. Was an interesting read anyhow.Comment
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My daughter bought me 4 plants from Homebase last year but I didn't get many tubers. They were very small, and we put them in a sweet potato and chicken curry. I've got 6 very small ones (not big enough to peel) left, and I noticed they were beginning to chit, like potatoes, so I potted them up. I know you are supposed to take slips off, but to be honest, if they grow, I'll just plant them out.I could not live without a garden, it is my place to unwind and recover, to marvel at the power of all growing things, even weeds!
Now a little Shrinking Violet.
http://potagerplot.blogspot.com/Comment
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I see Chris has been promoted to very high office. LOLOriginally posted by VirginVegGrower View Post
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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I thought VVG was blaspheming but thought I'd better not mention it!Comment
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