The flowerbed in our front yard gets more sun than the ones in the back, and it’s the harsh afternoon sunlight that tends to fry a lot of plants. I think I’ve mentioned before that sweet potato vine can kind-of take over, but sometimes (like at the end of summer) I’m grateful for anything that still looks lush and healthy. Since it grows so quickly, and it’s such a beautiful chartreuse green, it’s great for cuttings. 
It also roots very easily in water so I can plant it somewhere else or share it with friends. The cuttings in the picture above are a week old.
I always try to rinse it right after I cut it because the butterflies (and less desirable critters) love to lay eggs on the leaves. At first, I can barely see them, but when they start growing and leaving tiny droppings all over the counter, they are a bit more noticeable. Here are some that I didn’t rinse off–just so I could show you, of course.
I also usually pinch off any new leaves that are still folded tightly; instead of opening, they’ll eventually just turn black and need to be trimmed anyway.
I decided to plant these cuttings, so I filled the container about 3/4 full before sticking the cuttings in the soil. I could have let these grow some more roots, but I knew we were about to get several days of rain (thanks, tropical storm Hermine!), so I went for it.
Now, if I can just keep the chickens and ducks out of it…
I love the red pot! I’m usually not a huge fan of plastic pots, but Home Depot has these in red, chartreuse, aqua, and gold. I saw them at the beginning of the summer, but now they’re on sale for $5.70 (I think). I bought quite a few of them in various colors; they’ll look nicer than plain plastic if I want to plant gifts in them, and they are easy to move around compared to heavy terra cotta–especially if you’re pregnant!
If you purchase any of these, don’t forget to drill a hole in the bottom. It’s annoying that they don’t come pre-drilled, but I guess it’s not that big of deal–especially when they’re on sale. If you don’t have a drill at home, you could probably talk someone at Home Depot into drilling them for you (it always seems like they have more workers than customers!).
