[Trillium]

I've done it both ways, taken a bit of tatty off with the stem as well as twisted off the stem. The point of the latter is to get it twisted off right at the tatty itself and surprisingly, it will grow if popped directly into compost.

[prikay]

Having read this thread, I started my sweet potato in a jar of water in March. So far it has only put out 1 shoot about 3cm long and has two tiny purple leaves but seems to have stopped growing. I can't see any white roots as people have described.
Don't know if I should give up and try again next year or take a chance and plant up whats there? 

[Trillium]

Normally you get the white rootlets in the water first, but it isn't mandatory. If you have a small stem, you could twist it off and stick it right into damp compost. Let the potato keep going and it'll definitely be ready for next year (honestly!)

[Thephoenix572]

I planted my last two plants in the greenhouse today in the space the lettuce came out from

[Thephoenix572]

I planted a couple in my greenhouse last week and they are really thriving just wondered do you have to stake them at all or do they grow like normal potatoes? The three outside in the polytunnel are doung well but not as good as the greenhouse ones

[Endymion]

I've been struggling to get a sweet potato to shoot. Even though it was washed to get rid of any treatment it might have had, it took nearly two months for any roots to appear and then almost another month for any shoots.

There are about half a dozen strong-looking shoots now. They look good, with long leaf stalks - but the stems are only about an inch and a half tall. Should I wait for them to grow a bit more or should I pop them into some compost to get them started?

It's a bit of an experiment, and they'll have to go outside because we haven't got a greenhouse.

[Kristen]

Mine's the same, but I weakened half way through the chitting process (well ... I didn;t KNOW it was half way through at the time!!) and bought a "Beau Regard" 'coz I loved the name ... "Pretentious? Moi?"

I'll start earlier next year (or plant one of my own if I get that far). My Beau Regard is about 4' long now ...

[Trillium]

You could pinch it off at the tatty right now and pot it, then when you're sure it has a few roots, plant it outside.

[Endymion]

You could pinch it off at the tatty right now and pot it, then when you're sure it has a few roots, plant it outside.

Will that work with even tiny shoots?

[Trillium]

If the shoots are at least 1-1/2" and have some leaves, you can pinch them off. They're eager to grow.

[MichelleC]

I have 15 Sweet Potato slips to plant out. Can I put these into a potato bag and if so how many slips per bag? I believe they like to climb/trail so I'll install a wigwam on top of the bag. What about large tubs aswell? Any ideas?

[JayG]

Trillium is the one with all the experience of growing sweet potatoes, but being Canadian she won't be on here until later. 

I can say from my (very) limited experience that they trail rather than climb, so I think wigwams would be a waste of time. I also suspect Trillium will suggest 2 plants per bag (possibly 3) but you will have to wait for her own actual reply. 

[Endymion]

If the shoots are at least 1-1/2" and have some leaves, you can pinch them off. They're eager to grow.

Oooh, that's good news.

Now we're going to need some warm weather.

[Trillium]

I have 15 Sweet Potato slips to plant out. Can I put these into a potato bag and if so how many slips per bag? I believe they like to climb/trail so I'll install a wigwam on top of the bag. What about large tubs aswell? Any ideas?

Sweet potatoes don't climb because they need to regulate soil heat by acting as a self-mulch. You can use large tubs, but it depends on what your definition of 'big' is. If quite large, then 2 per tub. I'm not familiar with potato bags but I suspect only 1 per bag will work. You really shouldn't crowd them. Just let the tops crawl over the sides of the bags and wherever.

[Endymion]

I've twisted off two of the shoots and put them into some damp compost with a lid on top. I'm presuming they'll wilt a bit and then perk up once they've grown some roots - or they'll die.

When (if) they go into the ground will they be okay under some plastic cloches, over a ridge of good mix of soil and shop bought compost beneath some weed membrane?

I'm hoping the combination of the plastic cloche and the black membrane will make it nice and warm for them.