Advice request: Will my potato vine recover?

[philip64]

I am the proud owner of a once thriving sweet potato vine (Solanu

Jasminoides). It was planted close to a south-facing fence (in London about three years ago and grew rapidly. It covers an area about si foot high by fifteen feet wide and flowers most of the year.

Unfortuntately some deep digging on the other side of the fence ma have cut through a significant portion of the roots. Immediatey afte this happened, about 90% of the foliage simply shrivelled up, leavin only a small portion at one end still green.

I have heard this ttype of vine described as 'tough'. Does this mea there is any hope that it will recover or regrow itself if undisturbed Or is the damage likely to be irreversible?

Can anyone advise

-- philip64

[rachael simpson]

if there are any runners left to the plant, then they should re-root well. i root them in a jar of water in the house all the time. it may take awhile, but should bounce back some. of course, i'm sure someone with more experience than i will be along shortly to give you a little more advice.

[philip64]

Thank you. What part of the plant is a runner? (Pardon my ignorance!

-- philip64

[rachael simpson]

definition of plant runner:

A stolon is a horizontal stem that is fleshy or semi-woody and lies along the top of the ground. A runner is a type of stolon. It is a specialized stem that grows on the soil surface and forms a new plant at one or more of its nodes. Strawberry runners are examples of stolons. Remember, all stems have nodes and buds or leaves.

basically, a runner is the part that starts at the base of the plant, skims along the ground and roots nearby, starting a new plant. if your vine is as large as you say, you should have several runners.

even if you only have a *nub* of a root, it should work......

all the runners I have started indoors have been off of broken field plants. Since yours is in place already, i would pamper it a little and maybe take one or to runners to re-root separately, in case the original plant doesn't bounce back.

[philip64]

definition of plant runner:

A stolon is a horizontal stem that is fleshy or semi-woody and lies along the top of the ground. A runner is a type of stolon. It is a specialized stem that grows on the soil surface and forms a new plan at one or more of its nodes. Strawberry runners are examples of stolons. Remember, all stems have nodes and buds or leaves.

basically, a runner is the part that starts at the base of the plant, skims along the ground and roots nearby, starting a new plant. if you

vine is as large as you say, you should have several runners.

even if you only have a *nub* of a root, it should work......

all the runners I have started indoors have been off of broken field plants. Since yours is in place already, i would pamper it a little an

maybe take one or to runners to re-root separately, in case th original plant doesn't bounce back.

Thank you. That's very helpful. As soon as it stops raining I will go i search of stolons and see what I can recover. I've already given th plants some plant food, but the weather has been so wet, I doubt if i needs any more water!

I am still hoping for a recovery of the old plant, but most of the leave are now shrivelled up or black. I guess I won't know until spring if ther is still some life in the roots

-- philip64

[rachael simpson]

are you sure the damage was caused by digging? if there's been too much water, that could be a factor also.........

[Charlie]

You introduced a typo, Billy.

The serving size, going by the recipe, is for only 1serving.

Charlie, who loves Stollen