As Dave said, or you can use sand. I let them grow about 4 to 6 inches long cut them off. No roots then stick them in small pots with potting mix and keep them watered good. After a few weeks they are ready to plant out in my garden. You only want the slip to have 2 or 3 roots. That all they need to get started in the garden. The reason is most of the new roots will make potatoes. If you don't believe me take one and let get a big root ball on the end and plant it. You want get any potatoes. Now do it my way and you will get 5 to 10 lbs per plant in good loose soil. Also where the vine touches the grown keep it pulled up and don't let it root. That way all the potatoes will grow from only the area you planted them. If you let the vine root on up the vine it will take energy from the end where the potatoes grow and they want get as much or as big. I have planted them 1 ft apart in rows. Some people plant them 18 inches apart. But I like 1 ft. I got about 150 lbs of 20 ft row last year. That about 7.5 lbs per plant.

some leaves? or just a few? Or all of the leaves? For some leaves (meaning it only affected that particular vine - follow it back to the tuber itself. If it was damaged, rotted out, then it affects only that part of the plant. Remove it. One thing that causes sudden die offs is fungus. So check for this. If there is an overall die back - check the entire tuber for sponginess. It may have rotted out. Usually with with sweet potatoes (and many other plants that are started off in water) you need to remove them from the water and slowly get it used to soiless mixes. They shouldn't have any prolonged stay in the water. (unless you use a hydrophonic system with specialized nutrients fed to the roots) The roots they develop in water do not easily adjust to soil which is why they need to be transplanted shortly after they develop those roots. As a matter of practise, I prefer to start any plants in March or late Feb. because in my area (ontario) it's a long way off til May to transplant out. Earlier and things get too leggy or weak. Also all indoor plants do require good light.

Till the earth. Being tubers, sweet potatoes will grow deep in the earth. Make sure theyâÂÂll have an easy time of it by tilling the soil about 12 inches (30.5 cm) deep. Get the soil as loose and light as possible, incorporating gardening soil if necessary. According to the following article http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Sweet-Potatoes

@NhBabs (4b-5aNH) Im in Ghana actually. no where near the States. so i dont have to worry about too cool a season even though its supposed to be the rainy season now. (thats the coolest its gonna get). They can get that large huh? thanks for letting me know. thanks pitcom...guess i was worried for nothing! @vgkg ouu....i shall do exactly that. can't wait for them to start giving sweet potatoes back. you make it sound simple that i have hope to cultivate a green thumb. such useful info ^-^ All i have to do know is look for a larger space in this house and ill keep you guys posted! :D Heres an update. the rooted one's sprouts are ready i think to be planted. i think the one that didnt root well isnt growing any further. so i'll just take the sprouts ive gotten so far and plant them.