That said, I only mention the crop in passing in my book Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening because of the processing it takes to actually eat it without getting a mouthful of fibers. All I write is:
“Arrowroot is very easy to grow and beautiful to look at, but the yields are small. Roots require extra processing. It’s good as a non-recognizable background sort of survival crop if you’re worried about the end of the world and someone stealing your sweet potatoes… but not really much of a staple.” -Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening, Chap. 6
Though the young roots don’t only contain some fibrous strings, the older roots are basically inedible… except for their starch. So how do you harvest the starch out of arrowroot? Here’s a good post.
I’ll probably make arrowroot flour at some point myself; however, it’s not high on my priority list, particularly since I can just grow huge piles of yams instead with much less work.
Despite that fact, I really love growing arrowroot as an attractive member of the herbaceous layer in my food forest.
A couple of days ago I recorded a video on growing arrowroot and dug up one of my plants to harvest the roots. Check it out:
Even if you weren’t growing arrowroot for the starch, it would be worth growing because it’s such an attractive and care-free plant.
The video doesn’t do it justice since it’s entering the dormant season and dying back. They’re a lot prettier in the spring. Here’s all you need to do to start growing arrowroot in your own garden.
Arrowroot, or as its friends call it, Maranta arundinacea, is a tropical plant with some quite beautiful variations as well as some attractive cousins you’ve likely seen for sale as houseplants.
Though some sources report that growing arrowroot requires shade, I’ve had it do well in almost full sun along the path in the center of my food forest.
I’ve grown it in full shade as well, though that plant was less productive. Half-sun seems to be the sweet spot. If you get good rainfall and have decent soil, the yields increase. My arrowroot plants are fed with nothing but rotting wood chip mulch from the power company tree trimmers and that’s been enough for them to produce decent yields of roots. I pulled one from a rich and moist garden bed and got about 4 times the roots from it as from the one in the video above. Location, location, location!
Arrowroot is a versatile and easy-to-grow plant that produces edible tubers rich in starch. With the right harvesting techniques and timing, you can enjoy a bountiful arrowroot crop. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore when and how to harvest arrowroot for optimal yields.
Overview of Arrowroot
Arrowroot (Canna indica) is a herbaceous perennial plant grown for its edible starch-rich tubers. The arrowroot tubers, also called rhizomes, contain about 23% starch which has long been used as a thickener or stabilizer in food.
Native to tropical South America, arrowroot is now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The plants produce attractive blooms in summer and thrive in warm, humid climates with plenty of moisture. Arrowroot can be grown as an ornamental foliage plant or for its edible tubers.
When to Harvest Arrowroot
Timing is crucial when harvesting arrowroot tubers. Here are some tips on identifying when arrowroot is ready for harvesting:
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Wait for foliage to die back – Arrowroot tubers should be dug up when the leaves and stems have dried up and died back completely. This signals the end of the growing period.
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9-12 months after planting – Arrowroot tubers generally reach maturity and peak starch content between 9-12 months after planting the rhizomes
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After a frost – In climates with frost, arrowroot can be harvested after the foliage has been blackened by frost
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When tubers detach easily – Mature arrowroot tubers detach easily from the rhizomes when gently pulled. This is a sign they are ready for harvest.
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Dry season – Arrowroot is traditionally harvested during the dry season when all the foliage has died back Wet rot is a risk if tubers are harvested when soils are still moist.
The ideal time to harvest is when the tubers are fully mature, which occurs when the plant’s energy reserves accumulate in the rhizomes. Harvesting too early means lower yields and immature tubers.
How to Harvest Arrowroot
Follow these steps for harvesting arrowroot successfully:
1. Clear Away Foliage
Before digging, remove any remaining foliage, stems and debris from the base of the plant. This allows easier access to the tubers underground.
2. Loosen the Soil
Use a garden fork to gently loosen the soil around the arrowroot clump to make digging easier. Be careful not to damage the tubers.
3. Lift Out the Roots
Lift the entire arrowroot clump out of the ground with the fork or shovel. Shake off excess soil but be careful not to break the rhizomes.
4. Detach the Tubers
Gently separate the individual arrowroot tubers from the rhizome cluster. Try to keep tubers intact.
5. Select Edible Tubers
Sort through the harvested tubers. Select younger, smooth tubers about 6 inches long for eating. Discard very thin, old or damaged tubers.
6. Prepare Planting Stock
Keep some smaller tubers, rhizome chunks and sprouts for replanting the following season.
7. Clean the Tubers
Brush off any remaining soil and wash the edible tubers thoroughly before peeling or cooking.
8. Dry and Store
Spread out tubers in a single layer and allow to dry out of direct sunlight for a few days before storage. Store in a cool, dry place.
9. Replenish the Soil
Chop up discarded plant material and mix back into the soil to replenish nutrients. The arrowroot bed can then be prepared for the next planting.
Maximizing Arrowroot Yields
Follow these tips to get the highest yields from your arrowroot harvest:
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Provide adequate spacing, at least 12 inches between plants.
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Keep plants consistently watered and fertilized.
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Control weeds which compete for nutrients.
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Allow the longest possible growing period before harvest.
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Cut back foliage early on to promote larger tuber growth.
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Rotate arrowroot plantings to prevent disease buildup in the soil.
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Replenish soils with compost or manure before replanting.
Using the Tuber Harvest
Arrowroot tubers can be used in many ways:
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Peel and eat them boiled, fried or roasted like potatoes.
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Dry and grind the tubers into nutritious arrowroot flour.
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Use the starch as a gluten-free thickener for cooking.
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Arrowroot starch aids digestive health and soothes the gut.
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Combine with water to make a nourishing face mask.
With the right harvesting techniques, arrowroot can provide an abundant and versatile crop in any tropical or subtropical garden. Time your harvest carefully for the highest yields of these useful tubers.
Where To Buy Arrowroot Plants
I got my arrowroot starts from Grower Jim and I recommend him as a source. That link will take you to his write-up on growing arrowroot and there’s a link at the bottom of his article where you can order roots.
When to Harvest Arrowroot
When you’re growing arrowroot and it starts to die in the fall, don’t fear. It’s just going into dormancy. They’ll freeze to the ground in winter and come back again in the spring, much like ginger.
That’s the time I pull the roots. Give them a year of growth and they’ll usually make at least a half-dozen or more harvestable roots. Give them two years and you’ll get a lot more than that.
Queensland Arrowroot -Grow, harvest, prepare, cook
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