Growing a
Sweet potato
Interested in a simple science project for kids to do at home? Join Erin Welty in her gardening journey to sprout new sweet potato vines from a sweet potato!
Step 1: How to start a Sweet Potato in Water
Take a washed, unblemished sweet potato and look closely to identify the root end - the root end is the pointier end and may have some slender roots emerging. Stick four toothpicks into the center area of the sweet potato and use the toothpicks to prop it up in a glass or jar with the root end pointing down. Pour filtered water into the glass or jar until about ⅓ of the sweet potato is below the water’s surface. Set the glass or jar next to a sunny window. Watch it closely! If the water level drops, add more water. Change out the water every four or five days to keep it fresh, or sooner if the water becomes cloudy or develops an odor. You should see roots develop from the root end in a few weeks and green shoots emerge from the top shortly after that.
Step 2: Rooting a sweet potato
What’s next? Stay tuned for the progress of Wing Haven’s sweet potato raised bed gardening experiment in the Children’s Garden.