Growing Sweet Potato Plant in Jar is a Fun Project for Kids

By PAULA LAMB

Years ago, my mother used to grow a sweet potato in a jar. I tried it, but the potato just rotted. What do you think I did wrong?

When you tried this, you said that you put most of the potato down into the water. I think that this was the problem. If you want to try again – and this would be a fun project for small children – get a jar that is slightly larger around than your sweet potato. Push four to six toothpicks into the potato so that they form a circle around the middle. Place one end of the sweet potato down into the jar and allow the toothpicks to support it, making sure that they rest on the top of the jar. Fill the jar with water until most of the bottom half of the potato is covered with water. Place your new plant in a window or area that gets sunlight.

In just a couple of weeks, you should notice some roots sprouting from the potato buds. You will need to add water from time to time to support the growth of your potato. You will then start to see some green leaves growing out of the top of the plant. The leaves will start to grow like a vine. From here, you might want to plant your sweet potato in a container or hanging basket and treat it as you would any other growing plant. I hope you enjoy your trip down memory lane as you start your new sweet potato plant.

I have a large water oak that has a large cavity where it lost a part of limb a while back. I climbed up to inspect it, and it is pretty mushy inside. Is there anything I can do to repair the cavity?

You are wise to take a pro-active approach in looking for potential hazards on your property. As a general rule, there is no material or treatment that I would recommend to fill or treat the cavity of the tree that will prevent it from further rotting.

If the tree is in an area that could potentially damage any person or structure on your property if it fell, you might consider removal of the tree. It might be best not to let the next storm make your decision for you. If you need help in making your decision to keep or remove the tree, you could hire the services of an ISA- certified arborist.

I remember reading an article about scale on sago palms, but at the time, my sagos were healthy and I didn’t keep the article. Now my sagos look to be infected. How do I treat this?

Your sagos are infested with the Asian cycad scale, which seems to only pester sago palms. If left untreated, they will eventually smother and kill the plant. If you have bottom leaves that are especially heavily infested, it is best to cut them off and discard. For upper leaves that are not as infested, you could first try to treat them with a strong force of water from your water hose. Use gloves, and be sure and squirt the undersides and top of the leaves. Several treatments over several days helps to disrupt their life cycle and dislodge them from their host plant.

As the scale can infect the entire plant – even down to the roots, it is important to spray it down from top to bottom. If you find that you need more than a water hose, you can try a lightweight horticultural oil or a product called Organicide. Both of these treatments have also proven effective when treating this pest.

Let me caution you here before using these products: Check the label for the manufacturer’s recommendations on how to apply and for the suggested maximum temperature range for use. When temperatures climb into the upper 80s and 90s, it is too hot to apply them, especially in the heat of the day. In any event, you will likely need multiple treatments to stay ahead of this insect.

Check your plants periodically for re-infestation and treat as needed.Paula Lamb is a master gardener with the Duval Agricultural Extension Service and the University of Florida.GARDENER ON CALLA Duval County master gardener is in the Times-Union newsroom from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays to answer questions from readers. The number to call is (904) 359-4199. Readers outside the Jacksonville area may call (800) 472-6397 and ask for extension 4199. Their articles appear in Saturday and Tuesday Life sections.

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