| Author | Content |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 04, 2009
07:32 PM Post #7026631
| I am trying to start some sweet potato (yam?) slips. The potato is in the container, suspended halfway down in the water, and it's been a week. The water is starting to look gross, should I change it out? How long should I wait for the slips to grow, and will it grow leaves, too?
I know I saw a post on one of the forums, maybe a year ago. If anybody can remember the link, or has some advice, that would be great.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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trinawitch
Canton, IL
(Zone 5b)
September 04, 2009
08:23 PM Post #7026794
| sorry...I always figured you started a sweet potato the same way you did a potato...but what do I know |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 04, 2009
08:33 PM Post #7026836
| I googled it and this was suggested-I hope I haven't wasted a perfectly icky sweet potato! |
trinawitch
Canton, IL
(Zone 5b)
September 04, 2009
08:39 PM Post #7026860
| perfectly "icky" why are you trying to plant it if you think its icky? |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 04, 2009
08:47 PM Post #7026903
| Well, it's only icky in spots-too icky to eat, but hopefully good enough to grow some good ones. |
trinawitch
Canton, IL
(Zone 5b)
September 04, 2009
09:42 PM Post #7027104
| Well I hope you have success! |
icanfindroom
Anchorage, AK
September 04, 2009
11:58 PM Post #7027554
| I've had one in water before & it grew vines. Eventually it shriveled up though. I would change the water once a week. Or you could pop it in the soil and see what happens. Maybe then it wouldn't shrivel up like mine :) |
Fool4Flowers
Copperas Cove, TX
(Zone 8b)
September 05, 2009
12:12 AM Post #7027586
| I think you have the wrong end in the water. That pointy part is where the roots will grow I think. You can bury it in soil and they will sprout as well. |
icanfindroom
Anchorage, AK
September 05, 2009
12:18 AM Post #7027604
| Which end, good question. Hmmm, it's been awhile since I had mine. It had been in the fridge and decided to start growing so I put it in water :) Best guess, the location where the root it grew from was attached is the end for the water. Hard for me to tell in the pic. what's going on there. Maybe pull it out and take a look. |
Fool4Flowers
Copperas Cove, TX
(Zone 8b)
September 05, 2009
12:55 AM Post #7027700
| You could always put it in your pantry and it will sprout by itself, lol. Thats what happens to mine every time I buy them and forget to cook them soon enough, lol. |
icanfindroom
Anchorage, AK
September 05, 2009
01:00 AM Post #7027708
| Yep! That's how it all started for me! |
venice62
Indianapolis, IN
(Zone 5b)
September 05, 2009
11:39 AM Post #7028423
| Are you sure those were the directions for an avocado pit? lol I think you better find Jim and ask him for some advice. |
themoonhowl
Prairieville, LA
(Zone 9a)
September 05, 2009
12:13 PM Post #7028536
| Gardenza, if by icky, you mean the sweet potato had started getting soft/rotten spots, then being in water will only make that worse and hasten the rotting process. If any "eyes" are visible, you may want to chunk up the yam and place those eye sections in soil.
Usually sweet potatoes still have the odd rootlet here and there when you purchase them. The direction of that rootlet indicates growth direction...and usually, it is best to cover no more than about a third of the sweet potato with water.
Here is a chatty link on the subject. http://www.eons.com/groups/topic/1793274-Yam-Plant- |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 05, 2009
04:36 PM Post #7029344
| It figures I might have stuck it in upside down! And there were definitely some soft rotten spots. I guess I'll just pull it out and stick it in a pot and see what happens. If nothing else, it will eventually make a great addition to my worm bin:>)
Thank you, everybody, for the help and advice.
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dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 05, 2009
06:36 PM Post #7029717
| It's a sweet potato. Yams are rarely grown or sold in the US. Yams have very little nutritive value, while sweet potatoes are about as good a food as nature provides us.
If it has developed rot, it was injured before you put it in the water. If you put the bottom half in water and leave the top part out of water it should produce stems for months, maybe even a year. The water shouldn't get cloudy nearly as fast as yours did.
I'd cut off the diseased part, let the rest sit a week to callus over, then bury it in soil. Don't let it get under 40 degrees. Then you can put it in the ground or in a larger pot come warm weather. They HATE cold weather.
When it starts to sprout and the sprouts get big enough, you can easily root the sprouts in potting soil to make more plants.
If this is an ordinary store-bought one, don't expect the pretty chartruese or dark burgandy or other colors of the ORNAMENTAL types.
Its leaves will be a kind of boring green. |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 06, 2009
07:54 PM Post #7033913
| Thanks, dp72, it sounds like you've done this quite a few times before! The reason I put it in water was to get the sprouts started, so I could plant them apart from the sweet potato. Do I just break them off and lay them in a pot? Will they need to be vertical or horizontal? I changed out the water as suggested by icanfindroom, and noticed that there are tiny roots, or slips, I think they are called. Also, will they go dormant outside, or rot in the cold soil?
Thanks again,
Julia |
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 06, 2009
10:00 PM Post #7034345
| Julia, the little plants, called slips, should be several inches long before you separate them from the mother potato. Just tug gently and they'll let go. They likely won't have roots, or if they do very delicate ones. Just put them in 4 inch pots in potting soil with enough of the bottom part buried to keep them standing up. Bottom watering is better because top watering can knock them over. To bottom water, just set the 4 inch pots in a pan of water and the soil will soak up the water. Soon they will root and stand up easily. The tiny roots on your potato that are under the water level aren't slips. Slips form on the top half that's up out of the water. They are dark green.
I don't know how cold it gets where you live, but even in the Deep South people take them out of the ground for the winter, so I imagine you'll need to yourself. They would probably rot over the winter.
A tuber lasts only 2 or a maximum of 3 years. Then it rots. These aren't like iris or other plants that live for many years from one tuber.
So you need to collect NEW tubers every fall for the next spring's crop. Just let the old tubers stay in the ground. Don't try to save any that you know are over two years old.
I have pots and pots of several varieties in the back yard developing tubers that I will save over the winter. If you want me to send you several after I harvest them, send me a D-mail. One is Sweet Caroline Red which is esp. pretty.
Did I understand and answer your questions so it made sense? |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 07, 2009
07:49 PM Post #7037936
| Glad I didn't try to plant the roots, thinking I had slips growing! (sheepish grin) Thanks again, dp72, and everybody else, too, it's great to be able to get experienced advice like this.
Julia |
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 07, 2009
10:28 PM Post #7038779
| You're where we all were at some point. No need to feel sheepish! Good luck. We all need it! |
Fool4Flowers
Copperas Cove, TX
(Zone 8b)
September 08, 2009
01:14 PM Post #7040638
| One thing that helps greatly if you cut up one with eyes into chunks is to dust the cut part with powdered sulphur and let it dry over a bit before you plant it. Takes care of any rot issues. |
gardenza
Anza, CA
(Zone 8b)
September 08, 2009
08:33 PM Post #7042047
| Hi, Fool4Flowers, where do you buy the powdered sulpher? |
Fool4Flowers
Copperas Cove, TX
(Zone 8b)
September 08, 2009
10:23 PM Post #7042504
| I got mine at an organic nursery. It works great to put on any sort of cuts to heal them from taking cuttings as well. I was having a lot of die back on my brugmansia when I cut them and it stopped it. I use it on everything that has tubers to divide as well. Only takes a little bit. Its a yellow powder. I would imagine they have it at farm supply stores as well but have never seen it like at Lowes or Walmart. |
texasrockgarden
Canyon Lake, TX
(Zone 8b)
September 09, 2009
12:31 PM Post #7044328
| I agree with the above. Looks like the wrong end is up.
Another way to do this is to cut your potato length ways down the middle. Let the cut heal for a day or so. Place the flat sides down on a bit of soil and cover the potatoes about 1/2" or so with soil. Keep soil moist but not soggy.
Jerry |
