I'm double exposing this question, do most people pinch their margarite sweet potato vines? My first year growing and I'm just not sure whether to pinch or not.
do you pinch sweet potato vine?
I'm curious myself. I just did some in a little basket.
I do - it can grow so fast it's out of control if you don't. At least that's been my experience.
Yeah, I have in the past, so it's bushy instead of stringy.
Pinch it, root it, pot it, share it.
I have several year round here. Love the added color. I have the purple & green also. Nice variety.
Your baskets are pretty.
I don't pinch - I HACK, LOL. Here's last years results of a stringy 4 inch pot that I split into four. (BTW, I had 4 little sprigs overwinter by themselves and have another jungle started this summer - I'll have to take some pics tomorrow, they're overtaking my Sunpatiens)
I was rooting the clippings in water, but for the heck of it, tried just poking them in containers here & there - worked like a charm.
I agree denise. I have mine in several beds, but they are in big pots. Cousin Itt!
This message was edited May 16, 2009 8:53 PM
I wish they would overwinter here!
Up North i dug the tuber and stored them in the garage with the Dahlia tubers.
here in Fl. I just pick a piece or two from the common Grounds area and plant them with my container plants. They root very easily. Yes you need to pinch back all the time.
I like the pink/green variety. A little harder to grow. this container will get some now that some of the Hydraenga flowers have been cut off
This message was edited May 24, 2009 3:10 PM
Helene-
I really have trouble with the pink & green getting leggy. I pinch, but it doesn't seem to help. How much sun does yours get?
I haven't grown any here of the pink and green. Have Marguarite, the chartreuse color and blackie the dark color, not heart shaped. Will have to experiment with them here in the South. Always pretty much full sun. Helene
The leaves are smaller too. It is pretty though. I just love the punch of lime green the regular one provides though!
I've got some of the pink and green, I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow. It's not the performer the chartreuse and dark burgundy are though.
I think my burgundy one died out. I didn't think that was possible!
Here's a picture of the pink and green - full sun from 8 to about 4
The Sweet Carolines are better behaved and don't grow so fast. They are bushier, too.
I just pulled "Cousin It" up from my back yard. The original "potato" was planted in a pot two years ago - it was the size of a soccer ball when I pulled it up. I am sure I will have it coming up in the beds for quite a while.
Wow - you should grow sweet potatoes!
How big is a soccer ball? About like a volleyball?
yes. its bigger than a cantaloupe.
teri: You and me both! I couldn't believe the size of some of the ones I pulled out of pots yesterday! And they'll be baaaaaack!
We planted 1 each of these at church to cover some open dirt areas, they took over and had to be whacked back hard. When I dug the tater, one was as big as a football, the other a long snake, and the third a tiny thing. It was strange that something that small could have such a large leaf area.