Hello one and all!

Life can be complicated not so? Ah well, simple down and have some fun which is budget friendly, easy-peasy and picture pretty … grow a potato vine in a glass jar to complement even the most demanding décor and blackest of thumbs. Besides, you'll have a talk-to friend at the end of a hard work day!

Sweet Potato Vine Project.

Hope you get going on this and have some fun - let us know please.

Cheers for now

Lestie, I just may try this. I put my philodendron on the deck, partially in the shade, where is gets plenty of water when it rains (fortunately, philodendrons do well in water). It's sort of the same look.

Lestie, I loved the article on sweet potato vines. Your writing and gardening creativity is an inspiration. Thanks for the heads-up about sweet potato vines being poisonous. With both cats and parrots in the house, that is important to know.

Hey Angie,

It is easy enough and yes, it has a similar look to some green philodendrons, but I think the novelty factor makes it different, especially if you train it to spill over just one side of the plant so that one can always see the tuber. Also choose one with colourful leaves to contrast with the green of other creepers you may have in the area. Remember it likes height and can grow down readily to 6 feet plus (depending n the variety you choose). Just keep snipping and tidying up.

Of course too the glass can topple over so secure it nicely to the surface with some stationer's putty (we call it Prestick here), you will have the same or an equivalent anyway..

I would love to know how you get on if you do decide to go for it - do tell.

Cheers and all

Hello Connie,

So please you liked it and thank you for your words.

Yep - our furry and 'talking' friends are bits of our hearts running around though not many if any would be interested in eating these leaves. I don't know, but somehow think that there is an internal radar that helps animals sort out the good from the bad ... it's only when we interfere and put down poisons on our lawns and our flowers etc. (odorless and all as they sell it to us) that animals have no defence against.

Anyway, hope all is well in the land of Oz and that your scarlet 'slippers' know just what to do!

Cheers

Hello Everyone

It's the school holidays here in South Africa and a Mother I know got her three kids going on this potato vine project with a prize for the best looking one to be judged during the September holidays by the mom's book club buddies. Oh what excitement she tells me and oh what serious focus. She tells me too that her son Sean has decided to be an inventor when he is big (he is 10 now) so that he can invent something to make potatoes grow faster.

It's got the kids interested in growing potatoes as well and for this they have each been given three car tyres to grow potatoes in - again all going for another prize for the best potatoes and most original decoration of the 'outer' tyre surface. I am told that her daughter Katy has already drawn up designs and put in the order for gold paint and beads. It was just so refreshing to talk to her about the kids gardening. Zack just smiles and keeps saying "I'm going to win so there."

I really enjoyed listening to all of this and just had to tell you.

Cheers now