sweet Potatos

[Albert Bishop]

Anybody remember how,at sea , we would ofter grow a sweet potato? Stick a couple of match sticks in it, and sit it over a glass of water
to grow a bit of decorative greenery in your cabin? Well I need a memory jog. I seem to remember they got a root on the bottom and greenery from the top, But I have one started (nowt better to do) and it has roots that look a bit like leaves starting on the bottom, in the water and heading towards the surface, Nothing from the top??. Surely I couldn't have it upside down??, Hope I don't get shouted at for being in the wrong category, But we don't seem to have a garden section Cheers Albi

[Jim Brady]

Hi Murialb, the only thing I remember doing this with was the stone out of the avocado pear.You had to have the pointed part pointing upwards.Must say doing it with a sweet potato is a new one on me.
Best of luck with it.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Bob Hollis]

I think you mean an Avacado Pear nut, seen plenty of those but never a sweet potatoe!!!!!:

[Doc Vernon]

Exactly what i was thinking,as even at Home,i often used to grow the Avos!
Yummy too!
But they took Years to grow!
Plenty of time at Sea to watch it flourish haha!
Cheers

[alf corbyn]

i think its rather obvious albi. you have somehow obtained your sweet potato from the antipodes, as it is obviously growing upside down. suggest you stick to the old mustard and cress on blotting paper, you can write your name with that haha. alf

[Mike Hall]

i remember on one ship i cut the top off a pineapple,and it sprouted out the middle.
potatoes would sprout in the dark anyway.plus potato peeling in with your tobacco to keep it moist.
also on another ship i had a proper pot plant,had to leave it behind,as i was told i could not ever take it ashore,due to passing on a disease.

[happy daze john in oz]

Now Alf mate, no casting dispertions about our sweet spuds. They grow on vines so I am not sure you can grow them that way. As for Mike, I never knew you could bring it ashore in a plant?????

[alf corbyn]

i wondered what you colonials used for decoration. just think of all those sweet potatoes draped round the doors like xmas deks. what do you use for wallpaper? banana leaves haha alf

[Albert Bishop]

Now that you have all chipped in and had a dig at my sweet potato, I shall leaf the subject and keep an eye on it until the foliage reaches six feet, then I will submit a photo on the gallery.
Seriously, they realy do grow well, I remember a skipper who had the leaves right across his cabin deckhead from one spud
Cheers, Albi.

[happy daze john in oz]

Now dont tell me Albi, he dried them and smoked them! Alf mate we are now very sophisticated down here now, no such thing as wall paper as we do not have cracks to paper over.