***Growing A Sweet Potato Vine Houseplant***
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
United States
February 22, 2013 6:14pm CST
I got this crazy idea a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to try and grow a Sweet Potato Vine because they are suppose to be so pretty. The sweet potato I had on my table had started to grow little sprouts from the eyes. I thought this would be perfect to start the growing process.
I didn't know quite how to do it so I did some research. You're suppose to take the whole potato and stick it in a jar of water, with the pointy side down so it would root. Then you take two toothpicks and stick them in towards the top to hold it up in the jar, and watch it form roots.
That's not quite how I did it. I tried but the sweet potato was way too big to begin with and wouldn't fit into the jar I had. Sooooo, I cut off about 1" off the top where the eyes were sprouting, and ended up baking the rest in the microwave. It was delicious by the way, lol!
Anyways, I took this 1" portion and put it in a pot with some soil and watered it good, not expecting anything to really happen. Lo and behold, sure enough it started to grow within a day or two. I was surprised because I never let it get roots in a jar of water.
You should see it now! It's growing crazy and I did supply a photo of it. I took the photo a few days ago and it's even bigger yet. There is one long stem with pretty leaves on it and a whole bunch of little one's coming out from the piece I planted......but, what i want to know is what do I do with the one long stem? Should I cut it back to match the other little one's or let it go?
Did you ever grow a sweet potato vine? They have very pretty leaves and grow similiar to an Ivy plant. 
6 people like this
11 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I remember my mom doing this and I wanted to, but not because it is pretty, but because I like growing my own food and I found out that I can't grow it for food, so I never attempted it..I think what my mom did was she just looped it over a hook or something, but it has been too long ago to remember..
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Really? The leaves are edible? Wow, I sound like a glutton, but I do prefer plants that give back more than oxygen, like food or medicinal. That is interesting, I will have to check and see those replies, perhaps I'll grow one after all.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
24 Feb 13
glutton 
you're so funny! If you're going to grow one I would try the water jar first because they're telling me that this plant is going to die. 
I'm going to wait and see though because it sure looks good and healthy to me.
I think the jar takes a little longer though because you're rooting it that way...do some research on this, there's tons of websites.
I am curious though on what they taste like..so maybe someday.1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
24 Feb 13
I really don't want any food from it, just the vine because it's so pretty. I love the leaves and the responses are telling me they're edible. I don't think I'll eat them though. I just did this for kicks to see if it would take.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
23 Feb 13
You did the right thing by cutting off the sprouted portion and putting it in the ground. If you want sweet potatoes then you must let the creeper creep on the ground so that it gets roots in several places.The soil should be well fertilised and soft. It will get more shoots and you will then get a field of s.potato plants. Once it starts flowering it is an indication that the sweet potatoes are growing underground. Just dig out a small portion of the creeper and see if the potatoes have started forming. I have had a couple of seasons and did get a few of them but it is hard work. While digging out the s.potatoes one should take care they do not break. My gardener is always careless.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
Oh noooo, allknowing! I'm not trying to "grow sweet potatoes" at all. I'm just trying to grow the plant itself because it's very pretty and has very showy leaves. This is only in a small pot that I want to keep in my house...that's it, but thanks for all that advice. I hope everyone doesn't misunderstand what I was saying. Don't feet bad though, my daughter thought I was doing the same thing...trying to grow sweet potatoes.
I'm not trying to "grow sweet potatoes" at all. I'm just trying to grow the plant itself because it's very pretty and has very showy leaves. This is only in a small pot that I want to keep in my house...that's it, but thanks for all that advice. I hope everyone doesn't misunderstand what I was saying. Don't feet bad though, my daughter thought I was doing the same thing...trying to grow sweet potatoes.@allknowing (130064)
• India
23 Feb 13
I have used it as ground cover not to get the sweet potatoes but to decorate the ground. This plant needs to spread. You can experiment with letting it on to creep on a trellis. You will get flowers but no s.potatoes. When I was trying to grow them one of the creepers climbed on a nearby tree and it yielded flowers.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I do not want a sweet potato, I only want to grow the vine in my house. I live in an apartment.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
23 Feb 13
In the Philippines, sweet potato is a common crop in almost every backyard of people who live in the countryside. In the city, there are households that grow this in pots. The sweet potato tops or the leafy end of vines are actually nutritious and one of the most favorites in our country. The sweet potato on the other hand hand is a common snack either boiled are fried with sugar.
We don't plant sweet potato vine for ornamental purposes. We just allow it to grow as thick as it could in the ground and then we gather all the tops for our cooking.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I live in an apartment so I was only looking to grow it because it's so pretty. I don't have a yard to plant any. I didn't know the tops were nutritious too, as I love the potato itself baked....it's delicious.
2 people like this
@ARIES1973 (11426)
• Legaspi, Philippines
24 Feb 13
Yes I agree with salonga kashmere, the sweet potato tops are nutritious. I used to live in a place where this is one of the primary crops of farmers so I had eaten a lot of it during my childhood days. But potato is also high in uric acid because it is a root crop.
Have a great day!
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Salomga and Aries, the leaves of the sweet potato is edible? How do you eat them? Like in a salad? I wonder if they would make great smoothies too...
1 person likes this
@ARIES1973 (11426)
• Legaspi, Philippines
24 Feb 13
That's pretty! There are also sweet potato with red leaves. Maybe you can try it also.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Really? Is it a different colored sweet potato? I never heard of it and I'd love to try that one too! Is there a certain name for it...I guess I'm asking you how do I find it or know it will have red leaves. 
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
24 Feb 13
This is an interesting discussion and it has given me a new use for sweet potatoes. I usually buy them and just eat them but now I am going to keep one long enough for those little eyes to sprout. Maybe I will copy you and eat some of it too, they really are tasty with plenty of butter!
A quick growing plant is a great asset to an impatient gardener like me and any tips are always welcome. I tried nastutiums last year but the weather was too hot for too long and I lost them all. Hopefully sweet potatoes are made of sterner stuff.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
6 Mar 13
I'm so sorry 41CombedaleRoad....I did not get this notification that you responded and now I feel bad you've been sitting here for so long.
The plant is just beautiful and growing fast...I keep cutting it back so the other leaves can catch up in size.
The way I did this is not the normal way..I just took a chance but if you'd like to try it this way I'm sure it will be fine.
The other way is you take a jar and fill it with water. Take your potato and put 4 toothpicks in it about 1 1/2" from the top and stick it in the water. The toothpicks hold it up out of the water. It takes time but will eventually grow roots and the flower starts growing. You can do some research on this too and find many websites with the directions. It's fun no matter what.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
24 Feb 13
My mom.... rest in peace. Used to do that here in Mexico. She once had one grow all around our dining room. Shed tack them up and it was also so pretty. You bring good memories back to me here today.
in Mexico. She once had one grow all around our dining room. Shed tack them up and it was also so pretty. You bring good memories back to me here today.1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Awww, I'm glad I gave you some good memories. Your mom's grew all around the dining room? ..wow!! I hadn't planned on that, but at the rate this is growing I wouldn't doubt it, lol! I just did this for fun to see if it would take and it did. I love the leaves and people are telling me they're edible. I won't eat them though, they're just too pretty.
Your mom's grew all around the dining room? ..wow!! I hadn't planned on that, but at the rate this is growing I wouldn't doubt it, lol! I just did this for fun to see if it would take and it did. I love the leaves and people are telling me they're edible. I won't eat them though, they're just too pretty. @Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
24 Feb 13
That's the way I mentioned in my discussion that I was suppose to do it. I tried a different way and even this way it's growing crazy already, lol! I think I'll let it creep all around the bedroom.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
24 Feb 13
Yes it did, she soaked it in water for one day. Then put tooth picks in it, put it in a glass and it went wild...
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
23 Feb 13
This is cool that you got it to grow like this, and wonder if it will really turn into a Sweet Potato that you could eventually eat, and maybe use part of it to grow another one again. I wonder if you can get a stick or something for the vine for it to grow on?
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
24 Feb 13
I really don't know what I'm doing because this is the first time I've tried this. I don't want any potatoes and the pot it's in is not big. Maybe a stick will work but I just cut it back to match the other stalks. Allknowing up above mentioned a trellis, but that would have to be in a much bigger pot that what I have right now.
@ctryhnny (3460)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I"ve never tried the sweet potato rooting but have done it with an avocado pit. YOu basically do the same thing and end up with a pretty good houseplant. I'm def going to try the sweet potato because I always buy them.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I would do it the other way, rooting it in water like you're suppose to do. Someone above said the plant is going to die back and I didn't know that. I'll wait and see though. The only reason I didn't do it in water was because the potato was too big to fit, otherwise, I would have. You can research it and find out exactly how, it's really easy.
I buy avacado's so I'm going to try that too. I do have a pit saved, might be fun!
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
23 Feb 13
I've never grown one as a decorative plants, but I have to agree that it would be pretty. I've only ever grown them in the garden, for tubers. You might not realise that you can eat the leaves too, like a spinach substitute, so if you do trim back your plant those leaves need not go to waste. Apparently you can take about one third of the foliage without damaging the plant, although I must admit I've never taken quite that much.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I didn't know you could eat this until someone mentioned it. It's only one long stem and the other one's are small. I might trim it back because it's growing so long. Someone mentioned that the plant will die back...now I'm concerned as I didn't want that to happen.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
23 Feb 13
wow. i love it. thats great. looks like little hearts to. anyway, i think id like trying growing them inside and out. wonderful idea. wonder if they'd make better ground cover for coco then this sticky dry, crappy grass we try to keep here in AZ? 
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
If you're going to try it, I would try the jar of water instead because someone above said this one will die back. I didn't know that but I'll wait and see. It's really easy to do.
Allknowing at the top mentioned she has these in her garden as ground cover, but from what I'm understanding, the leaves are edible and nutritious which I didn't know either.
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
23 Feb 13
It is a very pretty plant. Keep in mind that as the potatoes grow underneith, the plant will die off as that is it's natural cycle. You can always start another one though.
I used to enjoy mint plants in the house because enjoyed the smell of them. Just smelled fresh but stopped growing them. Not sure why, it was several years ago so don't really remember now.
I live in a house without any plants in it and miss it at times but have a grand daughter now and another grandchild on the way so better safe than sorry. One day will have them back....one day
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Feb 13
I only have this in a little pot so I don't see any potatoes having room to grow. I didn't know the plant will die...now that stinks.
I have quite a few plants with a few herbs growing inside. I just wanted to see if this would grow without it being in a jar of water.
I have quite a few plants with a few herbs growing inside. I just wanted to see if this would grow without it being in a jar of water.