How to Root Sweet Potatoes Indoors

Best known as an edible food crop, sweet potatoes also make an attractive ornamental plant when rooted indoors. The large, fleshy tubers feature an abundance of nodes or "eyes" along their entire length, which frequently sprout roots if stored for too long. Forcing the production of roots, stems and foliage from sweet potatoes requires very little effort -- just adequate moisture, clean growing medium and a sunny windowsill -- and in just a few weeks, the tuber sprouts a network of delicate white roots and a crown of attractive heart-shaped leaves.

6- to 8-inch planter
Potting soil
Perlite
Spray bottle

Instructions

- 1
  Select a healthy, unblemished sweet potato to root indoors. Look for one with smooth, pinkish-beige skin and no obvious gouges, soft spots or wrinkled patches.
- 2
  Inspect the sweet potato to locate the nodes or "eyes." Find the end with the greatest abundance of nodes since this end will do best planted pointing downward.
- 3
  Hold the sweet potato inside a 6- to 8-inch planter. Fill in around the lower half of the sweet potato with a mixture of 3 parts potting soil and 1 part perlite. Tamp the soil as you fill the pot to hold the sweet potato upright and sturdy.
- 4
  Drizzle 1/2 cup of water around the base of the sweet potato to moisten the soil mixture. Water with 1/2 cup of water whenever the soil feels parched. Avoid overwatering the tuber since it could rot.
- 5
  Set the potted sweet potato on a bright, sunny windowsill with no more than one hour of direct sunlight per day.
- 6
  Watch for sprouting in one to two weeks. Mist the newly emerged foliage with water every few days to keep it hydrated and dust-free.
- 7
  Trim the vines as needed to control the size of the plant since sweet potato vines will become unwieldy if left to grow unchecked.

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