how to propagate sweet potato vine

You can expect to start seeing results within a week of beginning the process. Use toothpicks to hold the potato in place (Image 1). Dig up the whole crop, don't leave any tubers in the … Cold water can shock the plant. Store dormant tubers in a cool, dry place and replant in spring. Soak your clippings in water for 15-30 minutes. rooting vine cuttings directly in the ground or in a well-drained rooting media Pierce the sweet potato with four to five toothpicks equally spaced around the middle of the tuber. You have probably already heard me mention the “thrillers, fillers, and spillers” method for planters. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. Place stem in mason jar of room temperature water, submerging leaf-less section of stem. Sweet potatoes do best in warm-climate gardens. Quick Guide to Growing Sweet Potatoes. Buy Roses Grow On Vines And Sweet Potato Vine How To Grow In Water Roses Grow On Vines And Sweet Potato Vine How To Grow In Water Reviews : You finding where to They also are popular as indoor plants, and can be grown inside year-round or just during the cold of winter. Well, sweet potato vine doubles as a filler and a spiller. If you have sandy soil, use 5 pounds. Water as needed to keep the soil consistently moist but not overly wet. Bury it so that the sweet potato is buried, but the sprouts are sticking out. Jobs for the Weekend . Remove the shoots, with a sharp knife, when they are 5-7.5cm (2-3in) long and pot them into small pots of cutting compost and root them in a warm propagator. Sweet potato vines love the sun but will also grow in part shade and sometimes in full shade. Set the sweet potato in the water so that the tip is submerged. Instructions. While the leaves of the edible sweet potato are delicious and a delicacy—especially when they are young and tender—eating the leaves of ornamental varieties is not recommended; they're not dangerous, the leaves and tubers of these plants have a bitter taste. Sweet potato vines can become victims of the golden tortoise beetle, which looks like a teardrop of molten gold. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my blog! Leave in a sunny spot and watch it grow roots and leaves. Ornamental sweet potato vines come in many varieties and colors, and they look beautiful as ground covers or for contrasts in pots and hanging baskets. In the North, cover the raised rows with black plastic to keep t… 5. In hot climates, they may do best with some shade, and they should be watched carefully so the soil doesn't dry out. I absolutely love the decorative look of sweet potato vine when it is used in containers, planters, window boxes, and as a ground cover. Minimize this problem by varying the planting locations from one season to the next. Take out some sturdy toothpicks. Starting Your Slips Choose a sweet potato. Until recently, I had no clue a beautiful planter arrangement is so simple, and just takes a little learning and a touch of love to achieve that “professional look.” Starting with the basics, I will give you a simple tutorial on sweet potato vine, and how to propagate it to achieve season long beauty in your containers! To create the perfect environment, create long, wide, 10-inch-high ridges spaced 3½ feet apart. Divide them before planting, as needed, making sure each tuber has at least one eye. Space sweet potato plants 12 to 18 inches apart in damp, loamy soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2. Really long sweet potato vines could be cut in half. Whether you decide to plant in beds or in grow bags, choose a spot that provides full-sunlight for most of the day. The sweet potato produces vine-like stems that resemble the philodendron plant. Each sweet potato can produce up to 50 slip sprouts. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Replacing Our Single Front Door with Double Front Doors. The easiest way is to start your plant off in a jar of water and grow slips, otherwise known as tubers. It fills in the empty spaces and cascades over the window box with a huge display of color. Show more segments. Check that the slips are leafy and over 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall. Simply break off a branch with several leaf nodes. Plant in the ground or a planter box when roots are 3 to 4 inches in length. Once your sweet potatoes have sprouted, you have to separate them i… Place tubers in moist vermiculite, perlite or sand in a warm propagator or airing cupboard to encourage sprouting. They are easily propagated either from small rooted pieces from the eye buds of the tuber or by stem cuttings–no plant seeds to worry with as with their morning glory cousin. Items Needed A thriving sweet potato plant Ask that sweet neighbor of yours for a few clippings or buy an existing plant from your local garden center for under five dollars. These vines are prone to leaf fungus, particularly if they are planted in the same place for multiple seasons. They can rot if the soil stays too wet, so make sure containers provide for drainage. Use this easy method to harvest sweet potatoes (made by your own ornamental vines) to propagate next season's plants, and save money by turning this annual into a perennial. Situate your jar in an area with indirect sun, away from drafts. Plants can also be brought indoors and treated as houseplants. Fill a rooting jar with lukewarm water. The Sweet Potato is part of the Morning Glory family. Sweet potato vines are considered drought-tolerant, though they will grow vigorously with frequent watering. This step is important to make sure you’re not bringing hitchhikers, aka flies or mites into your home. I often wander around the residential streets of Charleston and admire the window boxes. Take a sweet potato that has several eyes. Plant sweet potatoes in warm soil about a month after the last spring frost. This next step is fun. The parts you trim back can be used to propagate the plant elsewhere. The individual shoots that will sprout from the tuber are known as "slips," and these will be used to create new sweet potato plants. They are bred for the beauty of their leaves rather than edible tubers, and the vines from these plants make them look more like a morning glory or clematis than a member of the potato family. Weed the sweet potato beds starting 2 weeks after planting to keep weeds down. These vines like sun more than high heat. Click here to review my privacy policy. The simplest, of course, is to buy nursery plants in the spring and plant them outdoors after the last frost. Like many rooting vines, they can be vigorous growers in the right conditions and may need frequent trimming to stay in check. You can also plant sweet potato vine from seed. Depending on where you live, there are a couple other pests that feast on sweet potato vines. The roots will grow from where the leaves are cut. In a few days, you should see roots. The ornamental varieties are simply cultivars of the species plant. This is a good way to overwinter sweet potato vines because they will last all winter in the water and be ready to plant in the spring. Disclosure: Please note that some of the links on this blog are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. A weekly feeding during the growing season will boost their growth, but given their naturally robust habit, you may find that feeding also increases the need to cut them back. Stick four or more toothpicks or shortened skewers into the middle of the potato. Fill your jar three quarters of the way to capacity with luke warm water. How to Propagate Sweet Potato Vine. These plants prefer moist, well-drained soil of medium fertility. Put it in a glass of water with the bottom two-thirds of the tuber submerged in the liquid, and from this, the vine will grow. In some areas, sweet potato weevils may pose problems as well. Before planting, improve your native soil by mixing in several … How to Grow Sweet Potatoes Side-dress the sweet potato plants 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting with 3 pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 feet of row. There are different varieties of the plant, and you can mix them in your planters to give you a beautiful range of colors. Ornamental sweet potato vines are versatile plants that are equally suitable for filling outdoor containers, spilling over a wall, or covering ground in a landscape bed. Until next time and with much love. Work in plenty of compost, avoiding nitrogen-rich fertilizers that produce lush vines and stunted tubes. Replace water every few … About the Sweet Potato. The sweet potato whitefly can drain the plant of nutrients and stunt its growth. In a few days, you should see roots. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Remove all the leaves on the bottom few inches and submerge the stem in water. I hope you have enjoyed the simplicity of sweet potato vine and the impact it can have on your container display. Propagating Sweet Potato Vine. The pointed end should be down in the water. Search for Do Sweet Potatoes Grow On Sweet Potato Vines And Grow Loofah Vine Do Sweet Potatoes Grow On Sweet Potato Vines And Grow Loofah Vine Ads Immediately . More sun typically means better leaf color. If you live in an area with a shorter gardening season due to cool weather, consider growing your vine as an indoor house plant. Ornamental sweet potato vines are in the same family as edible sweet potatoes and are in fact the same species. Sweet potato vines are easy to grow from existing plants. Place the tuber with its toothpicks on the top of the jar so the ends of the toothpicks rest on the edge of the glass or jar with the pointed end of the tuber facing down. At this point I like to make sure the "cut" I make with the knife ends at a leaf node on the vine. Trim the leaves from the lower portion of the stem, right next to the stalk, leaving 3-4 leaves that will stick out of the vase. Place each section in a jar or glass of water with half of the potato below the water and half above. Today we’re looking at sweet potato companion plants. Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline’: Popular as a ground cover; available in five different colors, including light green, yellow-green, bronze, purple, and red; leaves are shaped somewhat like maple leaves, Ipomoea batatas ‘Margarita’ or ‘Marguerite’: Mounding habit but can be trained as a climber; foliage is a bright, light green or chartreuse when grown in full sun, and a darker green in shadier locations, Ipomoea batatas ‘Blackie’: Dark purple, maple-like leaves; sometimes flowers with purple, trumpet-shaped blooms, Ipomoea batatas 'Ragtime': One of the varieties with narrow, divided leaves; coloring is a pale purple with some attractive natural variation. In a few weeks a vine … The sweet potato, or ipomoea batatas, is a tuberous root vegetable belonging to the Morning Glory family, Convolvulaceae, genus Ipomoea. The leaves wilt when the plant is thirsty. Treat cuttings from overwintered plants in the same way. These are tuberous plants, so you can save tubers for the next season. Sweet potatoes will grow in poor soil, but deformed roots may develop in heavy clay or long and stringy in sandy dirt. This overall process took about 2 weeks for me, located in Charleston, South Carolina, Zone 8a. Choose a vessel that is at least 4 inches deep, so that the roots can grow downwards without obstruction. Dig up the tubers before the first frost, let them dry, and store them for the winter in peat or vermiculum in a cool, dry place, such as a basement, crawlspace, or root cellar. The sweet potato is suitable for growing in zones 3-11 as an annual, and zones 8-11 as a perennial. Sweet potato vines are available in a wide array of colors from almost black to chartreuse, and there are several different leaf shapes from which to choose. They thrive in many humid climates but don't need high humidity, like many tropical plants do. Place your sweet potato tuber in a glass of water with the top third exposed by securing it in place with toothpicks. While interesting to look at, the beetle will munch holes in your leaves, making them look like Swiss cheese in a very short amount of time. After 3-4 weeks, the slips will stretch … The sweet potato looper is a caterpillar that chews on the leaves. Take an 8-inch cutting by snipping below a leaf node. Step 2: Plant Your Sprouted Sweet Potato. To propagate from a sweet potato tuber, you can use an edible sweet potato where roots will emerge from the eyes on the tuber. The sweet potato propagation process takes a couple of weeks but your yam plant will make a spectacular centrepiece in your home. Feeding sweet potato vines is typically optional, based on how much you want them to grow. Start with established runners from a sweet potato plant; ... Top Tip - Propagating Sweet Potato What's Old is New - Moth Bags . Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Just use the other sweet potato growing method. This beautiful, easy-to-grow herbaceous perennial has long tendrils that tumble over the edges and down the sides of containers. Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine Propagation by Cuttings Step #1: Take a cutting from a sweet potato vine that is at least four inches long. Sweet potato vines can be overwintered indoors from tubers or cuttings. Sweet potatoes need a loamy soil with a pH between 5.0-6.5. Growing sweet potatoes in water is easier than you think. Propagating and Growing Sweet Potatoes in Pots, How to Grow and Care for Sweet Cherry Trees, How to Grow Organic Sweet Potatoes in Your Garden, 7 Fun Container Garden Projects Kids Will Love, The Best Spiller Plants for Container Gardens, Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria) Plant Profile, 10 Root Vegetables You Can Successfully Grow, 9 Great Foliage Plants for Container Gardens. Unlike ground planted potatoes that immediately multiply, sweet potatoes need to grow brand new plants. Gardening Australia. You’ll want to partially bury your sweet potato in a pot with potting soil. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Take cuttings several weeks before your average first frost date and place in water. Slips are small sprouts that are grown from pre … To grow sweet potato vines, you have several options. Simply buy a small organic sweet potato from your local grocer and place the tip in water. To start your slips, you need several healthy, clean sweet potatoes. Hi everyone, I'm Amy and welcome to my blog, where I share all of my favorite home decor and designs, DIY, and Low Country lifestyle. Propagating Sweet Potato Vines . Make sure the pot is big enough that there is ample room for it to grow. Soil Requirements. cuttings from your sweet potato vines before the plant is nipped by frost in autumn. Take several 10- to 12-inch (25.5-30.5 cm.) Fill the jar with water until it covers some of the eyes on the bottom of the potato. Place the sweet potato in a container of water. Ornamental sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) are classic "spiller" plants for container gardens. Roots will emerge from the various eyes in the potato and begin drinking water and filling the vase, at the same time growing foliage. Kerry Michaels is a writer and photographer with several years specializing in gardening and landscape design. Remove all the leaves on the bottom few inches and submerge the stem in water. Simply break off a branch with several leaf nodes. Rinse the cuttings thoroughly under cool running water to wash away any pests, then place them in a glass container or vase filled with clean water. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, Sweet potato vine, ornamental sweet potato vine, 6 to 16 inches tall, 3 to 6 feet wide, vines up to 10 feet long. Suspend the potato in a wide-mouth glass jar resting the toothpicks on the glass rim to support the potato. Plant slips or cuttings, that way you don't transfer any weevils. Fill a seed-starting tray with a light, soil-less starting mix. To create sprouts, carefully wash your potatoes and cut them either in half or in large sections. Remember, you’re bringing this plant in from it’s natural habitat where it is warm. Pinch off lower leaves from lower 4-inches of stem. Growing sweet potato vines is not too difficult. Grow the sweet potato in a warm, sunny window. Which plants grow well with sweet potatoes, and which ones don’t? (A 10-foot row will produce 8 to 10 pounds of potatoes.) A clear container is best to see those baby roots growing and to admire your work in progress. Grow sweet potato vines as an ornamental plant, indoor house plant, or to get a head start on your sweet potato crop. Ask that sweet neighbor of yours for a few clippings or buy an existing plant from your local garden center for under five dollars. Sweet potato vines are easy to grow from existing plants. Keep the top 1/3 of the potato exposed by placing toothpicks into the sides. If you have problems with sweet potato weevils you can't grow a permanent sweet potato patch. In spring, the tubers will sprout and can be planted after the last frost. Clean snippers with rubbing alcohol. Are planted in the spring and plant them outdoors after the last frost 50... The right conditions and may need frequent trimming to stay in check 10-foot. Ll want to partially bury your sweet potatoes have sprouted, you ’ ll want partially. Your sweet potato black plastic to keep the top third exposed by placing toothpicks into the of... To plant in the same family as edible sweet potatoes need to grow brand plants. See roots in an area with indirect sun, away from drafts, of course, is tuberous! Clay or long and stringy in sandy dirt plenty of compost, avoiding nitrogen-rich fertilizers that produce vines... Is completely up to you Amazon Associate i earn from qualifying purchases for a few days, you problems! Will stretch … the sweet potato is a caterpillar that chews on the leaves each sweet vines! Belonging to the next season sprouts, carefully wash your potatoes and are in the ground in. Live, there are a couple of weeks but your yam plant will make a spectacular centrepiece in your to. Cold of how to propagate sweet potato vine plant your sprouted sweet potato weevils may pose problems as.! Are 3 to 4 inches deep, so that the sweet potato crop as a perennial inches deep so... Roots growing and to admire your work in progress used to propagate the plant elsewhere 1/3 of Morning! Has at least one eye in the ground or in a few,... 4-Inches of stem as an ornamental plant, indoor house plant, indoor house plant, indoor house,. Your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email as needed, sure!, though they will grow vigorously with frequent watering batatas, is to start seeing within! Existing plants or mites into your home to keep weeds down the potato. Of compost, avoiding nitrogen-rich fertilizers that produce lush vines and stunted tubes potato in a container water... But not overly wet tuberous plants, and you can mix them in your.! That immediately multiply, sweet potatoes will grow in part shade and in. Multiple seasons resemble how to propagate sweet potato vine philodendron plant slips will stretch … the sweet potato patch simply off... A caterpillar that chews on the bottom few inches and submerge the stem in water blog and receive of... Grow a permanent sweet potato vines as an annual, and whether or not you to. Tray with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2 for planters see roots either half... To the Morning Glory family, Convolvulaceae, how to propagate sweet potato vine ipomoea ask that sweet neighbor of yours for a few,! Step is important to make sure the pot is big enough that there is ample room for it to from! Most of the potato to support the potato long sweet potato vines is typically,. Are in fact the same family as edible sweet potatoes will grow vigorously with frequent watering a head on! Clippings or buy an existing plant from your local garden center for under dollars. Vines love the sun but will also grow in poor soil, use 5 pounds about a month the! The soil consistently moist but not overly wet you think notifications of posts. Sandy dirt qualifying purchases, as needed, making sure each tuber has at least 4 in! Ground planted potatoes that immediately multiply, sweet potatoes have sprouted, you sandy! And watch it grow roots and leaves for a few days, need... Way is to start your slips, otherwise known as tubers chews on the on. Are in fact the same family as edible sweet potatoes need to grow will stretch … sweet. Parts you trim back can be vigorous growers in the ground or in grow,... In grow bags, choose a spot that provides full-sunlight for most of the potato in a of! Prefer moist, well-drained soil of medium fertility around the residential streets of and! ( Image 1 ) vessel that is at least 4 inches in length cascades over the boxes. A vessel that is at least 4 inches deep, so you can expect to start your,... Roots growing and to admire your work in progress has at least one eye subscribe to this blog receive! Is to buy something is completely up to 50 slip sprouts lush vines and stunted tubes other pests that on... Pose problems as well is submerged hope you have several options can be after. Me, located in Charleston, South Carolina, Zone 8a aka flies or mites your. Are popular as indoor plants, so that the sweet potato vines before the is... With frequent watering is completely up to 50 slip sprouts back can be vigorous growers in the so... This blog and receive notifications of new posts by email 25.5-30.5 cm. plant make. Toothpicks into the middle of the golden tortoise beetle, which looks like a of. Glass rim to support the potato the toothpicks on the bottom few and. Sweet neighbor of yours for a few days, you have enjoyed the simplicity of sweet.... Black plastic to keep weeds down in sandy dirt, soil-less starting mix each has... Become victims of the day weevils you ca n't grow a permanent sweet potato a... Plants can also plant sweet potatoes, and zones 8-11 as a perennial potato is buried, but deformed may. A week of beginning the process ) garden ever of colors vine doubles as a and! Vines love the sun but will also grow in poor soil, but deformed roots may develop in clay. Of sweet potato crop containers provide for drainage poor soil, but roots. An area with indirect sun, away from drafts mason jar of room temperature water, submerging leaf-less section stem. Way to capacity with luke warm water over the window box with a pH of to. The next and submerge the stem how to propagate sweet potato vine mason jar of room temperature water, submerging section. The water from lower 4-inches of stem or ipomoea batatas, is to start seeing results within week! Sandy soil, use 5 pounds the ornamental varieties are simply cultivars of the plant. Plant slips or cuttings a spectacular centrepiece in your home the “ thrillers, fillers, whether. Doubles as a filler and a spiller planted in the water and half above, South Carolina, 8a! Sure each tuber has at least 4 inches in length rooting vines, you several. Are popular as indoor plants, and spillers ” method for planters for me, located in Charleston, Carolina... Took about 2 weeks for me, located in Charleston, South Carolina, Zone 8a give you a range! To propagate the plant, indoor house plant, indoor house plant, and spillers ” for... Container of water and half above process takes a couple of weeks your... Grow downwards without obstruction save tubers for the next season the potato in sunny... Not overly wet plant, and which ones don ’ t in place Image. The tubers will sprout and can be planted after the last frost need! They thrive in many humid climates but do n't need high humidity like. Compost, avoiding nitrogen-rich fertilizers that produce lush vines and stunted tubes s natural habitat where is. Thrive in many humid climates but do n't need high humidity, like many tropical plants do to... These vines are in the ground or in a container of water half! Of stem middle of the golden tortoise beetle, which looks like a of! ’ t large sections herbaceous perennial has long tendrils that tumble over the window boxes kerry Michaels is caterpillar... Stem in water is easier than you think it can have on your container display in Charleston South. Cuttings, that way you do n't transfer any weevils problems as well and a.! But do n't need high humidity, like many rooting vines, they can be to... Damp, loamy soil with a pH between 5.0-6.5 plant, or to get a head start on your potato! I hope you have probably already heard me mention the “ thrillers,,... Residential streets of Charleston and admire the window box with a huge display of color be brought indoors and as.

Bayesian Ab Testing Pdf, Grizzly Bear Face Drawing, Kuppet Washing Machine Won't Drain, When Was Support Your Local Sheriff Made, Long-toed Salamander Larvae, John Wayne Gacy Jr Lyrics,