Grow a Sweet Potato Creature
Submitted by Ms. Brenda

Supplies: Sweet Potato 4 Toothpicks Jar or Drinking Glass Water Face Decorations: Construction Paper Cutouts Pieces of Felt Markers Ribbon Corks Sunglasses Straight pins with beaded heads

Here's how to make your Sweet Potato Creature sprout leafy hair. The funny face you create will make it spud-tacular!

1. Look at the sweet potato you have chosen. Do you see any small purple shoots starting to grow at one end? That's the end of the sweet potato that will sprout leafy hair. The other end is the end that you will put into the water.

2. About halfway down the sweet potato, stick your four toothpicks into it. Evenly space them around the sweet potato. This will prevent the sweet potato from falling to the bottom of your glass or jar.

3. Decorate your sweet potato with a funny face like the one shown above. You can secure the paper or felt cutouts with the straight pins.

4. Put water into your jar making it half full. Place the sweet potato into the jar. It may be necessary to add more water to fill it about an inch from the top.

5. Now place the jar near a sunny window. In a few days your sweet potato will begin to grow roots in the water. In about a week, leaves will begin growing on top.

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Last update March 26, 1999
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