wow! gotta try this one. musta missed that show....thanks for the info

I had forgotten about that! Thanks for reminding me. I saw that episode and meant to try it. I've not been having good luck with cuttings at all lately. Ooh, and I've got a bag of potatoes for just the job, lol.

How neat! I'm going to try it with some Lantana. Did they say about how long it takes to root in a potato?
Thanks!

I hope you all realize that is a great-grandmother method of rooting things! It was my gram's favorite way to do up a rose cutting that was especially tough to root (I'm a grandmother now). It was supposedly the way that pioneer ladies managed to take their cuttings along to their new homestead. There was a good description of the method last year on one of the rose forums. Maybe it made it to
the FAQ somewhere.
spiderwoman

How cool about transporting cuttings! I may be moving, and it will be a great way to take along cuttings without having to worry about doing something about them right away when I'm trying to unpack.

I saw that episode and was confused by it. What I didn't understand is why it would work any better than moist potting soil.

Paul didn't explain that which was unfortunate as I like to understand the whys and hows of things.

The idea I liked better was taking a branch from a willow tree and letting it sit in a bucket of water for a day or so and using that as a rooting hormone. That made sense because willow trees are natural producers of the same stuff commerical rooting hormone powders use.

Also, wouldn't burying the potato result in a potato vine growing? why would a healthy potato rot away? I have had those things grow in my compost pile and they weren't healthy looking when put in it.

I hope you all realize that is a great-grandmother method of rooting things!

I am not surprised, seems our Great-Grandmothers knew lots of neat tricks!
I told my 91 yr old Dad about it & he said it made sense to him, his thoughts were the potato would provide the moisture it needed.

Wouldn't burying the potato result in a potato vine growing? why would a healthy potato rot away? I have had those things grow in my compost pile and they weren't healthy looking when put in it.

I've had that happen too, even harvested some potatoes from potato peelings that grew in my compost pile... :-)

I suppose one advantage is that it will not dry out like potting soil can. You could even get the added benefit of a sprouted potato! LOL

What are you supposed to do when you want to plant the cutting in the ground, out in the yard?
I've had just about 100% sucess with starting cuttings. I think the key is to make sure there is good contact between the soil and the cuttings. If there is any air space whatever, the roots growing from the cutting can dry out and die.
What I do is make a hole in the ground with a metal rod a little smaller than the cutting I want to start. Then I Force the cutting into the hole, which insures very good contact between it and the soil. I also put a circle of grass clippings around the cutting, to keep the soil moister and cooler. The clippings should not actually touch the cutting.
Another little tip: if the cutting puts out leaves and looks fine for a few days, then suddenly starts to wilt if the weather warms up, shading it with a cardboard box can save it. What can happen is warmer weather results in the leaves transpiring more water than the just-developing roots can absorb. So the leaves wilt, and the cutting could die. Shading it significantly reduces water lost by transpiration, sometimes enough to be the difference between life and death for the cutting.
I had one grape cutting in just three months in Spring grow 29 feet!

I've got to try this, but I have a few questions. Can the potato go directly into the ground, or does it need to be started indoors? If it can go directly into the ground, should it be done in the fall or the spring? Thanks

I was 12 years old when I tried this, with a rose cutting.
The rose died,but the potato came up.

LOL have to try this maybe with rosemary. I have rooted it with out the potato but some make it and some don't. Like to try with grapes too. hummmmm need some cuttings but its 1:37 am

If you don't want the potato to sprout, cut out the eyes before you use it, or maybe peel the whole thing.