I? have noticed that my beautiful potato vines produce potatoes at the end of the season. I?d like to know if they are
edible or how I can keep them over to grow new vines for next year.

?Wendy Appleton, Bracebridge, ON

Hi Wendy,
If you are referring to the ornamental sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas ?Blackie? or ?Marguerite? or any of the other new cultivars), don?t try eating the tubers. You can winter them over by cutting the vine way back, then drying the tuber for a couple of days before storing it in peat in a place that doesn?t get colder than 10?C and watering it lightly about once a month. Another alternative is to take cuttings and root them in soilless potting mix.

?Marjorie Harris, Editor at Large