Grow a sweet potato vine

Did you know scientist George Washington Carver was instrumental in creating new markets for farmers by discovering hundreds of uses for pecans, sweet potatoes and soybeans? Using a few materials from the kitchen, you can grow your own sweet potato plant.

Materials

* Glass jar

* Toothpicks

* Water

* Sweet potato

Instructions

STEP 1: Place the smaller end of the sweet potato into the jar. Insert toothpicks into the sides of the sweet potato to hold it up. The toothpicks should rest on the lip of the glass jar.

STEP 2: Pour enough water into the jar so the bottom of the sweet potato is wet.

STEP 3: Place the jar in the window and watch your sweet potato grow.

Explanation

This experiment proves you don't need dirt to grow a plant. If you change the water in the jar weekly, your sweet potato vine will continue to grow without dirt. The part of the sweet potato that is eaten is the tuberous root.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website Hooked On Science at hooked onscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.