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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Pink, Magical, Sweet!

With all of the different methods of springtime planting I've been doing: seeds, tubers, bulbs, replanting stored rootballs, it's the wait to see if a plant forms that is exciting. Exciting but also nerve-wracking, as until I see the greenery poking though the soil I wonder what's going on under there. Is there enough moisture to get things growing? Is there too much, with the seeds or tubers rotting? Are temperatures too low -- or more fittingly for us this year with highs for the last couple days around 90ºF (32ºC) -- too high?


It's nice to come across a plant that saves me this nervousness and waiting.


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This sweet potato tuber has been sitting in our cupboard since at least Christmas (possibly Thanksgiving) and has decided it's tired of waiting to be eaten:


When I first saw the smallest nubs of growth emerge a month or so ago, I thought "I'll plant this and see what I can get to grow". The last couple of days it has really started moving along though, unless I just haven't been paying attention.


I love the pinkish hues of the light-deprived vegetation.




I'll grow this in a big pot, as I don't have room in my revamped garden beds for something like this. Plus I know from experience that woodchucks love sweet potato leaves, so I may even put the pot on the deck -- although carrying big pots up there isn't fun.


A great discovery with a magical look, don't you think?

Maybe I should check on the regular potatoes that are in the cupboard too...

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5 comments:

  1. I wonder what color vine it will have. I like the leaves of sweet potato vine but around here they're very prone to whiteflies.

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  2. I love sweet potato vine - I love the foliage, how quickly it grows and spreads! I hope you show it to us when its started to grow - would like to see the colour.

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  3. I suspect it will be plain old green. I'll let you know though.

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  4. Well, at least yours sprouted! Most of them out here are treated so they can't. Actually I've tried to source unadulterated sweet potato slips out here, and they're almost impossible to find. I hope yours grow some fabulous tubers!

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