| Author | Content |
PinkysPlants
Thomasboro, IL
(Zone 5b)
September 26, 2008
06:20 PM Post #5603441
| Does anyone know if sweet potato vines can be grown indoors as a houseplant? |
ByndeweedBeth
scio, oregon, OR
(Zone 8a)
September 26, 2008
06:21 PM Post #5603450
| I tried that last year and it seemed to be attacked by every leaf eating bug known to the human race! |
plantladylin
East Central, FL
(Zone 9b)
September 26, 2008
08:27 PM Post #5603829
| I grow it in hanging baskets on my deck and in mixed container plantings every year. They are dying back right now as they seem to do each year at this time but will resprout in spring.
I don't see why you couldn't grow it as a houseplant. As long as it gets the proper water and light it should make a nice houseplant.
I found this when googling: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/frugal/msg071433492...
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53068/
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tcinmb
(Zone 8b)
September 26, 2008
08:47 PM Post #5603919
| Leaf eaters sure do love mine (outdoors). Is there anything that you can put on them to stop the chewing? |
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 26, 2008
08:59 PM Post #5603986
| Usually it's too late to treat by the time you see the damage. It happens in cycles. Even if you used a systemic pesticide, there would be damage before the pest died.
Late summer seems to be an unusually bad time. Holes show up on the inside of the leaves, not on the margins. |
tcinmb
(Zone 8b)
September 26, 2008
09:33 PM Post #5604131
| The chompers aren't bothering anything else. Do you know what they are?? |
plantladylin
East Central, FL
(Zone 9b)
September 26, 2008
09:42 PM Post #5604168
| Something was eating the sweet potato vines in my yard all summer. I could never see any bugs during the daylight hours so I'm assuming it's some nocturnal buggers chewing on them. I dug out many of the tubers a couple of weeks ago because they were taking over everything and looking awful with all the holes chewed in the foliage. They are like weeds down here, growing wildly and trailing all over the flower beds. |
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 26, 2008
09:55 PM Post #5604220
| Some blame grasshoppers, but they usually chew on the MARGINS of leaves, not the inside part. And the holes in ours are nicely cut out, while grasshoppers chew and leave ragged edges. Most people say it's slugs or snails, but they'd have to be young and lightweight, because the leaves are fragile and floppy. The damage looks like caterpillar damage, but I thought most moths and butterflies were through reproducing for this season. I guess it could be different varmints in different parts of the country. They seem to love the Marguerite best, and it looks worst because the holes in that chartruese show up so much.
As far as them taking over everything, that's where the new series Sweet Caroline come in. They are much more compact (short internodal spaces) and not as weedlike in their growth habits. Try them- you'll love the difference. They come in about a dozen varieties.
I'm going to take up my tubers for the winter soon, too. The leaves are so chewed I don't enjoy them anymore. Did you know that if you put the tuber in a shallow pan of water submerged an inch or so, maybe less, (next spring) little plants called slips will develop on the upper part? When the slips get big enough you can pot them and have many new plants. You just gently lift them off the tuber when they are big enough to pot. Just don't expose the tuber to freezing temps during the winter. |
tcinmb
(Zone 8b)
September 26, 2008
10:01 PM Post #5604254
| I'm going to get my flashlight and see what's eating mine tonight! lol Thanks for the great info. These plants really make a nice statement in a garden. |
plantladylin
East Central, FL
(Zone 9b)
September 26, 2008
10:04 PM Post #5604276
| LOL, I didn't take up the tubers for winter, I dug them up and threw them out because they take over everything! I love the looks of them in containers but it doesn't take long for them to trail out of whatever container they are in and run wild all over the yard!
I will have to check out the new Sweet Caroline series ... I have not heard of them, but if they are more compact and not as weedy, I would love to grow them! |
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 26, 2008
10:05 PM Post #5604288
| tcinmb- I keep threatening to go out and check the plants at night too, but have yet to do it. Please let us know.
I forgot to mention, about growing the slips- you would think the s.p. tuber would rot sitting in water, but it can sit there for MONTHS and not rot. |
nannykaren
Theodore, AL
September 26, 2008
10:09 PM Post #5604301
| They will root in water so easily so i try to keep some in bottles on my windowsills often |
plantladylin
East Central, FL
(Zone 9b)
September 26, 2008
10:13 PM Post #5604308
| I remember many years ago learning to grow a sweet potato plant and an avocado plant in water. Take two toothpicks, stick one in each side of the tuber and sit it on top of a glass or glass jar, (the toothpicks lay on the edges of the jar to keep the bulb from falling into the water. Fill the glass jar just so the water level barely touches the bottom of the tuber. Eventually it will put out roots and the potato vines will begin growing out the top. With the avocado you stick the toothpicks in the avocado seed and do the same thing, roots will sprout and eventually you will see a little sprout from the top of the bulb and you can grow a nice little avocado tree houseplant! |
tcinmb
(Zone 8b)
September 26, 2008
10:34 PM Post #5604369
| I think I will look for the Sweet Caroline Vine next season. The one's we are speaking of now are pretty hardy. I found one growing up one of my trees. |
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 26, 2008
11:49 PM Post #5604666
| When I was a boy, people didn't know what it was to buy houseplants. Ladies would put a sweet potato in a jar with a diameter smaller than the potato and grow a vine for the kitchen. Sometimes the vine would get so long it would turn the corner and grow along the next wall.
The vines were pretty enough, but if they could only see Marguerite, Blackie, Ace of Spades, Tricolor, and now the Sweet Caroline series!!! Bewitched is the queen of them all. |
lusarytole
Fairmont, WV
September 29, 2008
08:37 PM Post #5615175
| I cut my sweet potato plant back, took off the bottom leaves. Then diped the leaves in clorox water(1tsp to a gal. water, to get rid of any bugs). Put them in a jar to root, (in a shady place)now I will plant them and bring them in for the winter. As they get bigger this winter I will continue to cut them back and root more. By spring I will have plenty to plant in my hanging baskets. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)
September 29, 2008
09:44 PM Post #5615470
| Good idea. These plants are so easy to root we have a number of options. |
pajonica
Tone-machi
Japan
(Zone 9a)
October 08, 2008
04:40 AM Post #5646008
| I grow sweet potato in my garden here, never thought of them as a house plant, their so big man! maybe not the same sweet potato! Everything wants to eat them even us! |
cajunlady55
Bossier City, LA
July 13, 2009
08:46 PM Post #6816244
| I have the holes in my sweet potato leaves also. I've noticed several empty shells that looks like a locust shell? Can someone help me with that?? |
