Yam, Dioscorea sp.
Dioscorea rotundata,is a large
smooth skinned variety
If you live in a warm climate these are easy
to grow, and have very little pest damage.
This is the vine growing on a fence with
Bottle gourd, [the hart shaped leaves are
Yam.]
Yams must be cooked before eating, to
destroy the calcium crystals, that are in them
to keep the bugs from eating them.
Yam vines can grow to at least 50 feet, if
growing on trees, [-not recommended] and
should be provided with something to climb
on.
Yams can be invasive, if grown in warm wet
places, and not attended to.
The Yam "seeds" it's self by producing
tubercles on the vine, when these drop off
they will grow if the soil is warm and wet. It
is these tubercles that are planted to grow
more Yam plants.
The tubercles of all but one of the varieties I
grow[D. batatas] are large and easy to see
in pick up. These should be gathered and
planted where you want more plants to grow
, or eaten or disposed of.
Dioscorea batatas,[Wild Chinese Yam,
cinnamon vine] tubercles are small [3/8 to
3/4 inch] and more difficult to pick up.
These should be planted on a trellis, in an
area that you can mow around . This Yam is
hardy to at least zone 5 - it can ,and does
grow in the mountains of N. Carolina.
It is the large root tuber that is very good to
eat, in some varieties of yam, the tuber can
reach 100 lbs. The tuber can be left in the
ground to grow until you need it, and be
harvested any time of year. This makes it a
better choice for a food staple than
seasonally harvested food plants.
When the main tuber is dug up for eating,
the top can be removed and replanted. This
will grow another plant. I have cut off the
top part with the vine still growing out of it
just below the root web and taken the
bottom part for eating ,carefully filling
around the part left in the ground. The Yam
continued to grow uninterrupted .
Using the Yam
After the Yam is dug and washed, cut off
the top. Save the top for planting and the
bottom for eating.
90% of the roots come from the area just
below the stem on the top part I just cut off.
Next peel the skin off the bottom part, and
cook the yam any way potatoes can be
cooked.
Wild Chinese Yam, D. Batatas
[opposita,oppisitifolia, etc]
smooth skinned variety
If you live in a warm climate these are easy
to grow, and have very little pest damage.
This is the vine growing on a fence with
Bottle gourd, [the hart shaped leaves are
Yam.]
Yams must be cooked before eating, to
destroy the calcium crystals, that are in them
to keep the bugs from eating them.
Yam vines can grow to at least 50 feet, if
growing on trees, [-not recommended] and
should be provided with something to climb
on.
Yams can be invasive, if grown in warm wet
places, and not attended to.
The Yam "seeds" it's self by producing
tubercles on the vine, when these drop off
they will grow if the soil is warm and wet. It
is these tubercles that are planted to grow
more Yam plants.
The tubercles of all but one of the varieties I
grow[D. batatas] are large and easy to see
in pick up. These should be gathered and
planted where you want more plants to grow
, or eaten or disposed of.
Dioscorea batatas,[Wild Chinese Yam,
cinnamon vine] tubercles are small [3/8 to
3/4 inch] and more difficult to pick up.
These should be planted on a trellis, in an
area that you can mow around . This Yam is
hardy to at least zone 5 - it can ,and does
grow in the mountains of N. Carolina.
It is the large root tuber that is very good to
eat, in some varieties of yam, the tuber can
reach 100 lbs. The tuber can be left in the
ground to grow until you need it, and be
harvested any time of year. This makes it a
better choice for a food staple than
seasonally harvested food plants.
When the main tuber is dug up for eating,
the top can be removed and replanted. This
will grow another plant. I have cut off the
top part with the vine still growing out of it
just below the root web and taken the
bottom part for eating ,carefully filling
around the part left in the ground. The Yam
continued to grow uninterrupted .
Using the Yam
After the Yam is dug and washed, cut off
the top. Save the top for planting and the
bottom for eating.
90% of the roots come from the area just
below the stem on the top part I just cut off.
Next peel the skin off the bottom part, and
cook the yam any way potatoes can be
cooked.
Wild Chinese Yam, D. Batatas
[opposita,oppisitifolia, etc]
I have several kinds
of Yams, I sell
starts of, D.
rotundata, D. alata,
D. batatas.
D. alata is the
biggest and is
irregular in shape,
D. batatas is the
smallest and will
grow in most of the
Country.
D. rotundata is the
easiest to peel.
Yam starts are $10
shipping is $6
if you want some
just e-mail me,-click
the link below.
Michael Porter
of Yams, I sell
starts of, D.
rotundata, D. alata,
D. batatas.
D. alata is the
biggest and is
irregular in shape,
D. batatas is the
smallest and will
grow in most of the
Country.
D. rotundata is the
easiest to peel.
Yam starts are $10
shipping is $6
if you want some
just e-mail me,-click
the link below.
Michael Porter
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Tubercles of
D. rotundata [above]
Tubercle of D. alata
[above]
Tubercles of
D. batatas [below]
D. alata is my
fastest growing
yam, I have had
tubers reach 25
pounds by the
end of the second
year, -they were
planted in sandy
soil with 18
inches of horse
manure put on
the beds.
D. rotundata is a
little slower
growing, but 5
pounds the first
year and 15
pounds the
second year is
average tuber size.
The Yam to the
right is a one year
old tuber, it was 5
pounds.
Yams require a
moist soil for
fastest growth,
Yams can survive
in the ground for
several years with
no water, but will
not grow.
fastest growing
yam, I have had
tubers reach 25
pounds by the
end of the second
year, -they were
planted in sandy
soil with 18
inches of horse
manure put on
the beds.
D. rotundata is a
little slower
growing, but 5
pounds the first
year and 15
pounds the
second year is
average tuber size.
The Yam to the
right is a one year
old tuber, it was 5
pounds.
Yams require a
moist soil for
fastest growth,
Yams can survive
in the ground for
several years with
no water, but will
not grow.
The Chinese Yam if a good and nutritious Potato substitute, it has lots
of herbal uses also, -it is hardy to zone 5, so is something some
Northern gardeners can grow, -the flesh is very tender and soft, so
just steaming for 10 - 15 min made this one a very good meal, --