Growing Cassava and Keeping it Alive Through Winter in Zones 8, 9 and 10

Though cassava is a tropical crop, we have figured out how to keep it alive and growing outside its natural range.
My daughter has a few cassava cuttings for sale here: www.etsy.com/shop/GoodGardens
In today's video, David The Good shares how to grow cassava in zones 8 and 9, and how to keep cassava cuttings through winter so you have good planting material in the spring.
Articles on growing cassava: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/?...
Florida Survival Gardening: amzn.to/3NchEil
Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening: amzn.to/3Nau2zm
The Huge 2nd edition of Create your Own Florida Food Forest: amzn.to/3Rs08ZY
The South Florida Gardening Survival Guide: amzn.to/3uNkZOE
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David's gardening blog: www.thesurvivalgardener.com
Growing yuca in Florida and Alabama is quite possible. Keeping yuca cuttings alive through winter is the big struggle, since that's how you grow cassava plants in the spring! Today we share various methods.

[@davidthegood]

Though cassava is a tropical crop, we have figured out how to keep it alive and growing outside its natural range. My daughter has a few cassava cuttings for sale here: www.etsy.com/shop/GoodGardens The Brazilian method of keeping canes alive through frost: kzbin.infoNkiAO41gPbE Articles on growing cassava: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/?s=cassava Florida Survival Gardening: amzn.to/3NchEil Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening: amzn.to/3Nau2zm The Huge 2nd edition of Create your Own Florida Food Forest: amzn.to/3Rs08ZY The South Florida Gardening Survival Guide: amzn.to/3uNkZOE Subscribe to the newsletter: thesurvivalgardener.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=d1c57e318ab24156698c41249&id=1f74a21dc8 Compost Your Enemies t-shirts: www.aardvarktees.com/products/compost-your-enemies David's gardening blog: www.thesurvivalgardener.com Thanks for watching!

[@kathleenebsen2659]

Here in my Zone 6 garden, I grow cassava as an annual. I grow them in 20 gallon pots. Just before frost, I harvest the tubers to eat. I cut the stalks and strip the leaves. I cut the stalks into two foot lengths. I dip both ends of each stalk in paraffin. I wrap the stalks in newspaper and keep them in my laundry room over the winter. I process my tubers by skinning them. I chop the into bite size pieces and boil them for 20 minutes. Next, I fry up chopped onions and garlic. I add the cassava and season with salt and cumin. Love it! I’m not able to harvest great quantities, but it’s easy to grow and well worth it!

[@davidthegood]

Great work. Thank you.

[@kathleenebsen2659]

My Brazilian friend taught me more ways to use cassava. The leaves, which have a high protein content, are julienned into thin strips. Cook them like collards. Wonderful! There are two other products I make with the tubers others than the country fries. The first is tapioca and the second is Farina. Peel and devein the tubers. Grate and soak in water. Strain out the solids and reserve. Allow the milky fluid to settle. Tapioca starch will precipitate to the bottom of your vessel. Pour off the fluid. Dry the starch and mill into flour. You can use it as a thickener. Add some boiling water and roll into tapioca pearls. Made into pudding, it’s Devine. To make the farina, add the gratings to some boiling water and Simmer. Drain off and dry thoroughly. You can make a porridge with milk and sugar. My friend makes this into a savory side dish like pilaf. So, so good!

[@balajim646]

That’s so interesting!

[@jesusisforyou1740]

Psalm 107:37 “They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops. 38 How he blesses them! They raise large families there, and their herds of livestock increase. 41 But he rescues the poor from trouble and increases their families like flocks of sheep. 42 The godly will see these things and be glad, while the wicked are struck silent. 43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.”

[@kekaha2703]

Thanks for having it available in Etsy, ordered some and hope to keep them alive till spring 🙏

[@tommyluck19]

DTG! You are the best, my friend! God Bless You all ❤ your dog is so sweet

[@comfortablynumb9342]

You're making me want to some up and make tortas de yuca, casava patties. They're super easy to do. Skin the roots, shred on a cheese grater. Chop up pepper and onion and add some minced garlic. Scramble enough eggs and mix them in so you can form patties and pan fry them. Add some Salsa Lizano from Costa Rica to the mix if you can find it, or on top after you make them. Cook until golden brown, and they should be 1/2" thick. They're like hash browns but better.

[@pamwade2047]

DTG I miss your funny outtakes and some Good music occasionally at the end of your videos!!

[@chessman483]

We get about 20 frosts every year. But our Cassava generally survives. Our frosts are light , but definitely ice and white. We get away with it on all our tropical fruit . Bananas , Mangoes etc.

[@heidiw8406]

We are half way between Tampa and Ocala and I dig a trench and bury them covered with mulch for the winter. In Tampa they just stayed all winter long.

[@MySuewho]

Love that you petted your pooch! Thanks for the tips on storing and growing the cassava. I'm going to try growing them. I'm in zone 8B.

[@plainsman1967]

We made it through our 4th night of frost in our greenhouse last night in Levy county Florida (Bronson). Thank you for all of your knowledge! This is our first year using the Verti-gro system..

[@dfreak01]

I use TONS of cassava flour. I'm growing Jerusalem artichokes, too. Year 1 I planted 12. Year 2 each spot had about 12 plants. Yeah!

[@nicolasvalle1426]

Here in the tropics "yuca" actually gives us seeds and most of the plantations we have are grown from seed. Perhaps in temperatesclimates they don't have enough time to flower

[@Alaytheia]

Cassava is SUCH a useful plant! thanks for sharing this info DTG

[@jorgemartin7697]

Hi David I don't know if you know a tree that is wonderful, but little known. It is called CHACHAFRUTO OR BALU, and it is a super productive little tree, its fruit is very interesting nutritionally speaking, it resists -2 degrees Celsius, it begins to produce in just 2 years after being planted and falls does not need care, it is also very tasty and versatile For me it would be an almost perfect crop do you know him ?? all the best

[@RussellBooth1977]

I am going to plant my 7 cassava plants in a greenhouse this winter to protect them from frost which is a problem for all of my tropical plants since I live closer to Sydney (Newcastle) in New South Wales than where I purchased my cuttings from on eBay. I ordered them from sm eBay seller whose located at Brisbane in Queensland, while we have a similar climate, they don't have the frost like we do in the Newcastle area & it gets down towards 0°C or 32°F overnight even in our 10b planting zone. At Brisbane, they don't have frost & the minimum overnight temperature doesn't fall much below 10°C or 50°F so I need to protect them further south as I do with my papaya & young jackfruit plants. They hate it when it gets cold & wet which causes them to rot & die as well !

[@moondog573]

imagine trying to explain to someone how "in the land of the free" you have to worry about getting raided and possibly murdered by police because they could see nature in your window

[@davidthegood]

Yeah…

[@davidthegood]

The left supports raiding people for mean tweets…

[@davidthegood]

I am a monarchist and disapprove of both American parties

[@WilliamMiller-nr5gb]

​@@davidthegood That Judge said, "OK, you want one like they've got? Go ahead..." 😂

[@djancak]

@@davidthegood i don't know who you think "the left" are represented by but in my leftist social circles none of us think that people should be raided or even censored for mean tweets. democrats are not at all "left" though on some issues they're closer, mostly just social issues that don't challenge the ruling class power structure.

[@presterjohn1697]

Oh snap. Growing cassava in zone 9.9, 10. Badass.

[@Power_Prawnstar]

Hey Dave, I'm from Adelaide, Oz, and I love your no bulldust style of vids, I think as far as knowledge goes, you're right up there, especially with the unusual stuff you grow, climate appropriate plants and such. Here come's the crap sandwich, soz, I will prob never grow yams and casava, I'm in a Mediterranean climate, warm and dry. I find it hard to really identify with what you're growing, but your soil and compost info is awesome. I have no suggestions as such, it's your channel and you do you, I'll keep watching, but I grow tomatoes, corn, potatoes, herbs and a bunch of other interesting stuff, can I please, please have a vid or two on that type of gardening, mixed in with all the other cool stuff. Cheerio mate, have a good one

[@davidthegood]

That climate is the cradle of civilization - I'm sure you can manage some great crops. Thank you.

[@kitakitzFarm]

You can cut out individual CASSAVA NODES and plant them in your greenhouse and by spring time you will have large seedlings. You can have hundreds more Cassava seedlings, enough to SELL to your neighbors and subscribers Plus you will harvest more than once even in your Zone. I get 2 harvests in Batangas Philippines. Now for Another tip regarding UBE propagation. Simply take thin slices and put in a bag and it will sprout Within a few weeks you have beautiful seedlings from UBE pieces you used to throw away. I am doing this right now and these tiny pieces are surprisingly sprouting. I also dig 12"+ holes and fill and mound with rich loamy soil. Then plant your UBE seedling. This speeds up the harvest by at least 2 months or more.

[@davidthegood]

We are planning to do that this next year. Thank you.

[@davidthegood]

Thin slices? Like, of skin? Please write me: [e-mail]

[@tommyluck19]

​@davidthegood I checked the video on his YT channel. only like 2 minutes. he chopped up the cassava like 2-3" pieces and split them in half in the length. not much explanation and the comments are turned off for some reason.

[@leonardpearlman4017]

Oh! That's all good to know! And right on time, too. I can get Cassava to grow in Gainesville, but haven't harvested much. I grew some in Miami in the poorest soil (just coral rock with a little sand on top) and it wouldn't stop! A scrawny little plant would have twenty pounds of edible roots. I once ate some after a hurricane: The plant was torn entirely out of the ground in the storm, all the tubers were still together and washed so clean. I just peeled some and boiled them with salt, using a gasoline stove out on the sidewalk. It's so good when it's fresh, an interesting pleasant experience in a kind of disaster situation. Anyway, I'm definitely going to do as you said with the UBE!

[@the_lazaretto]

Great info, thanks David! 😎🙏🏻✌🏻

[@Mylittletropicalfarm]

Thanks for all the info on tropical food. I am in Panama and already growing cassava, sugarcane, and more - I really find your videos helpful. Now I have to find your wife's recipes on cooking with yuca!!

[@davidthegood]

Thank you

[@PhearomLs]

Thank for sharing your technique ❤

[@kathleenebsen2659]

No! Thank you David for teaching me and inspiring me to grow cassava!

[@lisettesyummygarden2299]

❤❤❤ lm hearing ya speak of Casava.... But really trying to see watcha got growing on!!😂😂😂 U got lots of stuff!!!

[@ReapWhatYouSowGardening]

We got pastina sized hail today

[@Golden_SnowFlake]

You can drastically increase the heating stability effect of your Greenhouse, by incorporating pipes below your water barrels, they do this to keep farm animals watered in winter without having to constantly break ice. They dig a hole, 2' deep or more, and put a large pipe in the hole, then backfill the edges to seal the pipe, then place their watering troughs over the hole, seems to work well, might help drastically in the green house, worth a test if you notice heating issues!

[@dgblac0]

Great video

[@Sir_Ol]

Ohhh I see trifoliate leaved citruses, I hope you've got hold of some cool hybrids! Trifoliate hybrids are just amazing, here in France there's currently a craze/trend around those. Can't wait for you to tell us about these or even how you can use them as rootstocks!

[@davidthegood]

They are just boring rootstock types. There are some really cool ones, though - you are right.

[@Sir_Ol]

That's so sad, but from what I know, you can order budwood to get those hybrids in the US, which is sadly not possible here in Europe. Anyway, I'd love to see a video on you guys citruses @@davidthegood

[@dantheman9135]

Fun, ThankQ

[@babetteisinthegarden6920]

Thanks for the info

[@Carolynfoodforest355]

Good video, I shared it on a few fb groups.

[@SouthFloridaSunshine]

Wow, I so needed this, thank you!

[@SouthFloridaSunshine]

So I can get my cuttings off my plant in the ground while it is still forming its roots.

[@davidthegood]

Yes, once the bark is mature and not green.

[@ruthlongridge2137]

Thanks and love south afrika - just acquired some cuttings from Uganda

[@dfreak01]

We're zone 8 and are in the 20's at night often but can go colder. Sometimes we're in the 40's-50's overnight. 🤷I'd hoped to grow cassava but it sounds complicated. During the day in fall & winter we are 20°-65° 😐

[@pilotalabama3221]

Hey! Fellow Christian farmsteader here. I’m only about 93 miles from you - also along the Alabama/Florida line. Just bought 27 acres and hoping to do a lot of similar stuff you are. About 22 acres of our land is wooded….hoping to convert much of it to pasture. Any advice on where to start with doing that? I want to run Dexters on part of it, and grow/harvest hay with the other - so it needs to be cleared pretty well.

[@user-ic2ug8ys1z]

1st! 😃🌱🐢

[@butterflyj685]

Very informative David. Thank you! How about planting the cassava canes on higher ground vs. the lower end of your property. I thinking you would have less chance of the rotting.

[@davidthegood]

Probably.

[@joshuaarroyoruiz2770]

La humilde yuca deliciosa en escabeche

[@glynischamberlain9126]

DTG, DTG!!! Question: think deer will paw up cuttings and munch on them if hay covering method outdoors is used...or other critters? Inundated with deer and other near Dowling Pk, FL (8B). CUTTINGS JUST ARRIVED FROM DAISY! Yaay. YOU, SIR, give us the absolute most valuable info, EVER, and that humor of your's is an equally added bonus. Thanks!

[@davidthegood]

I don’t think they will paw them up, but don’t know

[@MySuewho]

Also, do you have a link to the video where your wife shows us how to cook the cassava?

[@MySuewho]

I just watched the video. Good tip about the oscillating wearing gloves

[@zoeysunshine504]

THREE HUNDRED THOUSAAAAAAAAAND!!!

[@christiankok5572]

Nice video David. But what is in those blue en black containers in your greenhouse? And what kind of banana plants do you keep there?

[@meanqkie2240]

A previous video he explained the black and blue barrels are full of water. They warm up during the day, then act as a heat sink at night to keep the chill off the plants.

[@almostoily7541]

Hey, David, would you happen to have an affiliate link for the ground cover you use for the floor of your greenhouse? I'm getting ready to order some and I'd appreciate a referral. And to support a small farmer even if it's something small like through an affiliate link 😊

[@user-yt6xj1xi5z]

My "zone 8" only recently promoted from 7b

[@davidthegood]

Yeah, I wouldn’t trust that!

[@bones3603]

Can I grow it in zone 8A ... Thanks

[@stephenluna7932]

For the container do you bring it into the house or leave it outside?

[@davidthegood]

Inside. Can’t let it freeze.

[@davidthegood]

I bring them in so they don't freeze.

[@chauthinha1993]

🫶👏❤❤

[@mekay235]

☝☝😊😊💕💕

[@HeartForChrist777]

What happen to Christian Westbrook ? Ice Age Farmer?!?

[@davidthegood]

I don’t know

[@venidamcdaniel1913]

Zone 6. So no benefit.

[@davidthegood]

Nope

[@theconstitutionalconservative1]

No one eats this crap David. We have food here better.

[@davidthegood]

The Constitution never should have replaced The Articles.

[@theconstitutionalconservative1]

@@davidthegood so you're against the US Constitution? We all know about the Articles of Confederation.

[@jesusisforyou1740]

Psalm 107:37 “They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops. 38 How he blesses them! They raise large families there, and their herds of livestock increase. 41 But he rescues the poor from trouble and increases their families like flocks of sheep. 42 The godly will see these things and be glad, while the wicked are struck silent. 43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.”