Most of our children have done this experiment in school — the experiment where a seed or a plant is placed in water and they observe the roots growing. Elise, an elementary school student tried to sprout three different types of sweet potatoes in her experiment — a non-organic sweet potato, a store-bought organic sweet potato, and a local organic sweet potato. Take a look at what happened:
The chemical she speaks of — chlorpropham (also known as “bud nip”or "sprout nip") — is a chemical herbicide used to inhibit sprout growth on potatoes while they are being stored, so they have a longer shelf-life.
While Elise's experiment gives us all something to think about when we shop, it's also a great learning opportunity for our children. To do the same easy experiment at home, follow this step-by-step and click to learn a little more about the differences between organic and conventionally grown produce.
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