Chaman I always start my roots that way. Don't have any real documented proof, but I believe that they are less prone to have rotting problems when started in potting medium (vs. water) and intact (instead of cut). "Horizontal" put more of the root in contact with moisture and thus, likely to grow sprouts. That's just my reasoning. But there are people who have done the toothpick and water approach for MANY YEARS and they get sweet potatoes! Glenn Drowns, at Sandhill Preservation Center, has been doing quite a bit with sweet potatoes. He has the most extensive collection of varieties, available for sale, that I know of. But he, being in a Northern environment, has also been doing a lot to learn about the plant's requirements. Probably the #1 thing I've heard from him, over the years is that the sweet potato requires HEAT to grow and prosper. Glenn often counsels folk not to plant their starts until the nights and soil are warm. Starting slips in the garden early does not give better results than starting late but with plenty of warmth. Last year he started some varieties towards the end of July and still got good results. I started my last planting here on July 18 and found that two out of three varieties did not plump up quite as well I would have liked. My theory on this is that here in OK we have a number of weeks in the summer, when temps are so high, and we get no precipitation, that a lot of plants just sit there, rather than growing. Still, I would not hesitate to plant any sweet potato (here) anytime in June or early July. Sweet potato vines are incredibly resilient! I do not know why I do lose a slip or two almost every year when planting. But most of the time I put them out and water them (from a can), mainly for my own sake, not for theirs. When we lived in the high desert, in Hidalgo, Mexico; we helped a private school with agronomy. We used flood irrigation, as it rained infrequently. Anyway, I once saw a student harvest sweet potatoes and drop a vine in an unused garden plot. That plot received no irrigation or rain for four months. The vine was crisp and brown. When someone irrigated that plot the vine grew sprouts and rooted again! This was a native variety so folks, don't try this one at home, unless you just want to satisfy your curiosity. In my opinion, sweet potatoes are one of the most neglected and most useful crops a person can grow, and, I believe Northern gardeners really should try them. If one has a really short season or cool nights, then go with earlier varieties and use black plastic mulch. George Tahlequah, OK

how developed was the slip? for the main store stock have been treated so as not to sprout, so there could have ben some intervention there? if you still ahve the sweet potato, i'd suggest you cut it in 1/2 across the middle and stand both those ends in a "little" water, enough the keep the ends moist and keep the water up to them, if it is a viabe tuber new shoots will occur or it will rot that meaning it is not a viable tuber. in the mean time seek out a more viable tuber from a smaller green grocer or local markets, and treat it as i have suggested above. now when shoots appear which can be from the top or the botton whatever, let them grow to about 6"s then cut off that section of tubers, if there is enough shoots spaced out you could divide that section and plant them out into the garden they will grow once they start to grow mulch then well. roots are not needed though in many cases the shoots appear from the top and roots appear at the bottom in the water, the roots will come into play once you have removed enough of the top for shoots. would suggest also if you are happy with the crop take some vine slips in the autumn and stand them in water freshening the water as needed, once they take root then plant them into pots and keep in a warm place for the next seasons planting. len Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

I measured in my deck is 24 inches off the ground. First step up is 13 inches. The pot is 22 inches high. The green fine trails down to the tech which if I am OK get on the deck with the easy to get it to VINE. The purple VINE does not trail down the 13 inch pot. It looks like just sell used at the top of the plant I’ve been eaten. I thought possibly a deer because it would be the right height to eat the leaves on the top. It’s just that we seldom ever get deer in our backyard playing on the main road. Once this winter we saw their foot prints come in the back gate, and turned around When they saw there was no other way out and Went back down the driveway and down the main road (Warwick Avenue).

Last year I had really good luck putting a tuber on its side in a small container of potting soil. I put the tuber in, in December, and kept it moist in a sunny window. The slips began to sprout in Feb-Mar. They were nice and healthy and transplanted well this year. I cut the slips off in Apr-May and started them in damp potting mix. I've had better luck starting them in potting mix than water.