My mother wasn't a gardener, in fact she wanted nothing to do with anything that involved being in the sun, which I am sure accounted for her exquisite complexion. But in her later years she became very fond of house plants and grew them with great success.
However the indoor plant I most associate with her were the the sweet potatoes she would put in jars and allow to vine. When I was a small child there always seemed to be one lavishly sprawled out in a sunny kitchen window or in the back porch where we ironed...my gosh, except for the occasional tablecloth does anyone iron anymore.
You would think with all of the gardening I do that at one time I would have tried this, but it seems so old fashion that for some reason I never did. Then a few weeks ago I was cleaning out my pantry and I came across a sweet potato that was just beginning to sprout, I started to throw it in the bin and then I thought about all of those sweet potato vines in my childhood and out of nostalgia decided to put in in some water and see what would happen.
I did it in the same way she did, four tooth picks in the side and then set in an old pickle jar. Keep the jar topped off with water and watch it go!
Within days it had begun to grow, it started out in the kitchen window and has now grown so lush and lovely that I moved it to a more elegant spot in the living room.
I don't know what the life span of this vine will be, but what a fun experience it has been. It is easy to understand why in the past this was something so many people with little resources did to add a some inexpensive beauty to their lives
Such a nice reminder of childhood memories...and a wonderful mother.
Thank you for visiting, I hope you have a happy day.
My Mother loved to garden and I wished I had been more interested in it or that she wanted to teach me. She would do the same thing with the jar.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory from your Mom, my love the garden I have all her plant with me went she was in the hospital she was so concent about all her plant she pass last February I have in my Kitchen window her
ReplyDeleteViolets now when you look at your plant you remember you mom
Have blessing day
Isora
I love this!!! I am going to try this the next time I have sweet potatoes in the house! Thank you for sharing such a sweet memory with us.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of doing this, but it is definitely something I'll try when I get home. I have two sweet potatoes that may have started to sprout - just looked at them before I left yesterday. The vine is very pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love sweet potato vines. The lovely green! It looks great where it is sitting near the window!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I would never have thought to grow this indoors, I love the shape of the leaves. Thanks for sharing! and what a lovely memory of your mom xo
ReplyDeleteOh what a fun thing to do...my grand children would love watching it grow!
ReplyDeleteHello Adrienne, thanks for stopping by my blog. I see that we follow some of the same blogs from the comments left here. My sewing blog has been sadly neglected, but I do love to sew. I looked back over some of your posts and gingham dress is so pretty. It looks cool and airy for hot weather. Did you ever make the rayon version? I've added you to my feedly list and look forward to reading more of your posts.
ReplyDeleteThis sweet potato vine would be fun to do. My house plants suffer from either over watering or under watering, depending on how busy I am. I'm going to try this next!
This is a great idea, I like how you get such a full and healthy plant from a humble sweet potato.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
I remember doing this as a child in our classroom. I think my youngest would love to try this.
ReplyDeleteYou brought back some of my own memories too Adrienne. Your sweet potato vine is so pretty. I never think of doing this in the early spring to use in pots and baskets here, instead I go out and pay a fortune for the little cups of them at the garden center. I'm going to make myself a note right now to remember this.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you how much I LOVE your fall blog banner! So pretty!
Have a lovely rest of your week.
sending hugs...
Such sweet memories! My mother did the same. She also did this with an avocado seed. I remember the small glass jar with the avocado seen balanced on four toothpicks, sitting in the kitchen window. Sometimes I wonder if she did it for me so I could see and understand and enjoy the beauty that can come from something we might throw away! Your sweet potato plant is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing it - and your memories - with us.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~