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overwintering Sweet Potato Vine

taterbug
17 years ago

Can you save a sweet potato vine tuber, like a bulb, over the winter? Has anyone ever done this? How? taterbug

Comments (14)

  • eldo1960
    17 years ago

    absolutely. overwinter it in a cool place; let air circulate around it (don't let it freeze!) and plant it late spring.

  • taterbug
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    So, do I dig up the tuber, shake the dirt off and place in a bag of wood shavings? (I have never dug up bulbs to save.)

  • eldo1960
    17 years ago

    Sounds good, or wrap it in newspaper. Keep it in a cool place but don't allow it to freeze.

  • eldo1960
    17 years ago

    these were ornamental sweet potato vines? Blackie or Marguerite or one of the others? How long had it been in the ground/pot? It takes a while for the plant to develop the tuber. I'm sure the roots would have led you to the tuber if there had been one. I have had them almost as big as the sweet potatoes in the grocery stores, except they are skinnier. They don't taste good, either. Stringy and kinda like eating paper. I know you weren't going to cook it, but save it over to plant late spring. Sorry this happened. Maybe next year buy your plants earlier so they have time to develop the tuber.

  • taterbug
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thank you, eldo. Maybe the tuber was further down. All I know is when I dug up the plant there were roots. I did not think to keep looking. We had our first winter storm to arrive yesterday, so if the tubers are out there, it is too late now. Thanks again for your help. taterbug

  • Josh
    17 years ago

    Taterbug, It might not be too late. Do you have any of the vines growing in a somewhat protected spot under eaves or another plant? If so, clip the vines into 8=10" pieces (even if leaves have frosted) and stick in bottle of water on window ledge, I save mine this way, or stick in pot of soil...they root easily and will soon put out new leaves. josh

  • limequilla
    17 years ago

    I heard you can save the roots the exact same way as the potato tuber....clip the foliage and put it all in ziploc with woodchips, but don't zip the bag. Stick it somewhere where it stays 40-50 degrees and is DARK. Sonmeone also suggested a cooler filled with barely moist peat or wood chips with a lid in the garage.I've never held one over and can't help, but that's what I read.

    Lime

  • gjfarm
    17 years ago

    Today I cut mine back to within an inch or two of the soil and I'm going to put the whole pot down into the cellar. I wonder if this will work?

  • pnwjoy54
    17 years ago

    I brought mine in for the winter and it's growing nicely on a windowsill as a houseplant. It was grown in a container all growing season so I just brought it inside before the first frost. In the spring I'll repot it and put it back outdoors.

  • ces797
    15 years ago

    I am not finding the tuber either
    I had 4 Marguerite and 4 Blackie in a big 24inch pot.
    I dug the whole thing up and there were only roots.
    I dug all the way to the bottom of the pot.
    I purchased these mid-summer and assume they were growing since early summer in a nursery pot.
    Wouldn't the tuber be close to the bottom of the stem with the roots growing to the bottom of the pot?
    I was very dissapointed, was hoping to see these back again next year. I bought a trellis and had them running upwards all the way to the top of the trellis...filled it in quick nicely

  • flowergirl1211
    15 years ago

    You can also take cuttings, and have more for the spring. Especially if you have a green house.
    Linda

  • virginiagal
    12 years ago

    do i need to soak the tubers in the spring before potting them? i kept them in a box of vermiculite in the garage but they are dry. what should i do next?

  • kvenkat
    12 years ago

    I got my potted Blackie last summer. Did not want to take the risk of digging it up. Parked it on my east-facing window sill to overwinter. It dropped a couple leaves here and there but otherwise did fine.