Sweet Potato Indoor House Plant
Do you know that there is a house plant that you can eat?
When I learned that you can grow sweet potato vines inside all year around and eat the leaves, I was blown away. What is even more impressive is that it makes an impressive houseplant. So much so that I have trouble plucking those beautiful delicious green leaves to eat. 
I figure I just have to grow more plants!
Eating sweet potato leaves is common throughout Asia and Africa. It’s a good source of Vitamin A and C and you can use the leaves and stems in place of any leafy green.
There are a couple of ways you can start your own sweet potato vines, but here are instructions for the easy, ultra lazy way!
Materials
- One or more organic sweet potatoes (choose one that if firm and free of blemishes)
- A paper bag
- Good quality potting soil
Instructions
- Take the sweet potato, put it in a paper bag and forget about it. Well forget about it for a couple of weeks. Alternatively you can stand the sweet potato in a jar of water so that about a third to a half is submerged. Set it in a sunny windowsill.
- Check every once in a while for the slips (sprouts/baby vines). The slips will be pale, twisted, and weird. Be patient. It will happen.
- Prepare your soil in a pot by mixing the soil with a bit of water and then add it to the pot. The soil should be damp, but not soaking wet.
- Pinch off the slip with your fingers and put it right in the soil.
- Cover the base of the slip with soil and gently pack down.
That’s it! Feel free to put as many slips as you want into your pot, leaving about 2 in in between. The vines grow fairly upright. Once you have them all planted water gently, try not to get water on the leaves. - Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. This plant does not like dry soil. You can tell when it is starting to get too dry because the leaves get a bit droopy. Water it and it will perk right up.
- Keep your plant in a warm, sunny place. Near a windowsill is ideal. The more sun you give it, the more leaves it will produce. You can add organic fertilizer or compost tea once a month.
Tip: I keep a sweet potato in the cupboard and let it sprout. As I eat my vines, I fill in the pot with more slips.
Can I plant the slips outdoors?
Yes, but remember they like warmth so if it is cool outside they won’t grow or could die.
Can I grow actual sweet potatoes from the vine?
Yes!! To grow actual sweet potatoes, you will need to plant the slips outside and give them plenty of space. Sweet potatoes have a long growing season too so just plan accordingly. The trick is to keep the soil moist (not soggy) until the plants are established.
There are plenty of tips and tricks online on how to extend your growing season and specifically on how to grow sweet potatoes.
