I've got high hopes

Perhaps they're high, apple pie-in-the-sky hopes, but I won't know unless I try.

I've read at many online sites that starting sweet potato vines from a sweet potato is easy.

Yesterday after going to Merserveys' Farm for several six-packs of pansies, I stopped at Hannaford Supermarket and chose one firm and robust looking sweet potato.

It set me back exactly $1.

I brought it home, went down to the basement for a wide-mouth quart canning jar, and filled the jar with water.

I then took the unsuspecting sweet potato and gently inserted four toothpicks around its circumference about 2/3 of the way "up."

With the pointy end placed in the jar, I now had a sweet potato primed and ready to grow some shoots.

If all goes according to plan, I'll be able to divide the potato shoots, each with new roots attached, and plant them in potting soil.
















I'm hoping to end up with several of these. Isn't that sweet potato vine a sight to behold? I purchased this one last spring at a greenhouse and thoroughly enjoyed it all summer.

As you can see, it tried to sneak into the house to live with us permanently.

I've read online that sweet potato leaves can be tossed into salads. Who knew? I didn't. I also read accounts of grandmothers, years ago, who grew sweet potato vines as houseplants.

I see several possibilities emerging from my high hopes.