The Sweet Potato Saga Part II

The first thing you must know about this endeavor is that it takes awhile. The second thing is that is takes some fussing over. The weather in February is too cold to have these potatoes happy outside, so they need to be inside, in a sunny window, getting between 60-70 degrees around the clock.

You may remember the winter storm we had in February. Like many Texans, we lost power in our home for 12 hours at one point when it was 3 degrees outside. And perhaps unlike many Texans, I was worried about these potatoes. Yes, we have three small children, we were unable to go to the grocery store, use water, or run our heat. Yet, my “check the potatoes” timer still went off at the end of the day and I still checked the potatoes. Luckily, it only got down to about 55 in our home, and while they weren’t happy, (none of us were) they survived (as did we as well).

One of the many things you will fuss over, other than the temperature and sunlight, is the water. The water they are sitting in can get gross. Plan on changing the water at least every 2-3 days, some days it may be daily. A little mold started to develop, so I had a hydrogen peroxide spray available as well. The mold will not harm them like it will seedlings of any other sort, but it will stink and make the water get dirtier faster.

And we have sprouts! This is what the beginning of sweet potato “slips” looks like. They get their energy from growth from the nutrients inside the potato, so they need no nutrition from soil yet. Just light, warmth and water.

I also got tired of pulling them in and out of the jars and remembered I had a seedling tray. Using this has been a lifesaver and I will only use this tray from the start next time (if there is a “next time”). It has a lid to make for a little greenhouse, which kept the temp up and made them very happy.

Check out the roots popping out of the bottom of the potato at the top of this image. Then of course the first slips sprouting up. This is an exciting day!

Stay tuned for more adventures as we try to keep water clean, watch the timers and check them daily for any more signs of life!

To be continued….