Author Topic: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?  (Read 14282 times)

chirpis

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Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« on: April 18, 2018, 10:38:51 PM »
I grew it last year in a large container here in Atlanta. It seemed to be doing great on top, but at the end of the season I dug it out, and there were no new tubers, and all the original tubers had rotted.

I have some tubers coming in the mail now, and I hope to do better this year. Do you think it did poorly because it was in a container? Since the tubers rotted, I also wonder if maybe it was watered too much. I mostly grow succulents, so I'm not used to watering plants with "normal" water needs. Maybe I overdid it.

If anyone else has tried growing these and has any advice, I'd really appreciate it.

BajaJohn

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2018, 11:40:51 PM »
I've been trying to grow them in fairly sandy ground with plenty of compost. I had the same problem with few and small tubers. Someone who has farmed them in the past told me that the runners shouldn't be allowed to form new roots, so move them around. An alternative is to provide support for the runners to grow up so they stay away from the ground. I tried that this year and have had a much better yield.
You can also propagate them by simply cutting off and planting new shoots. No need for the tubers.

pineislander

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2018, 06:41:50 PM »
The dioscorea is adapted to growing up. It is tropical so northern growers can't expect as much. If well grown in tropical conditions they can make some aerial bulbils which greatly enhances the rate of multiplication. To get bulbils you might try leaving some tubers in-ground for the best earliest start. I was able to buy tubers to start at the larger Asian/Caribbean food markets for very reasnable prices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGIByH-lpzU

Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2018, 08:02:02 PM »
I couldn't resist and ended up buying a bulbil from eBay. A variety sold as Dark Night St. Vincent. The seller has good reviews and the photos seem legit, so I doubt it's a scam (and we all know seed scams abound on eBay). It looked insanely purple on the inside, and even the stem looked thoroughly purple in the pics. It was overpriced, but I couldn't resist. I think it's supposed to arrive next week.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2018, 10:47:41 PM by Caesar »

Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2018, 04:47:03 AM »
I couldn't resist and ended up buying a bulbil from eBay. A variety sold as Dark Night St. Vincent. The seller has good reviews and the photos seem legit, so I doubt it's a scam (and we all know seed scams abound on eBay). It looked insanely purple on the inside, and even the stem looker thorough purple in the pics. It was overpriced, but I couldn't resist. I think it's supposed to arrive next week.
Hi! Please can you post the link of this seller please? Thank's!  ;D

00christian00

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2018, 05:54:38 AM »
I couldn't resist and ended up buying a bulbil from eBay. A variety sold as Dark Night St. Vincent. The seller has good reviews and the photos seem legit, so I doubt it's a scam (and we all know seed scams abound on eBay). It looked insanely purple on the inside, and even the stem looker thorough purple in the pics. It was overpriced, but I couldn't resist. I think it's supposed to arrive next week.
Hi! Please can you post the link of this seller please? Thank's!  ;D

Hi Luis, you can also try to contact this italian nursery that sell the plant:
http://www.vivaiocorazza.com/en/products/872-dioscorea-alata-.html

I got mine from there, and it's a nice healthy specimen. I can post the pictures if you want.
They have the english website so maybe they ship abroad.

Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2018, 08:08:25 AM »
I couldn't resist and ended up buying a bulbil from eBay. A variety sold as Dark Night St. Vincent. The seller has good reviews and the photos seem legit, so I doubt it's a scam (and we all know seed scams abound on eBay). It looked insanely purple on the inside, and even the stem looker thorough purple in the pics. It was overpriced, but I couldn't resist. I think it's supposed to arrive next week.
Hi! Please can you post the link of this seller please? Thank's!  ;D

This was the exact listing: https://m.ebay.com/itm/RAREST-EXOTIC-TRUE-DARK-NIGHT-ST-VINCENT-DIOSCOREA-ALATA-PURPLE-YAM-PLANTS/273161334787?hash=item3f99af3003:g:gcQAAOSwKvFa08vC

If you haven't acquired any Ube by winter, I think I'll post them as available for selling/trade by then, if I can get my vine to bear a fair crop of bulbils.

Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2018, 11:15:09 AM »
Thank you very much to both of you!  ;D

Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2018, 01:01:08 PM »
Thank you very much to both of you!  ;D

No problem!


Mine just arrived today, in fair condition. Green stem with purple-based petioles. The bit of tuber at the base looks brightly purple (a bit dulled by the soil, but still bright). I planted it into the tomato's tote, where there's a Florido D. alata and a D. rotundata growing already. I placed the stem in the shade while it acclimates to local conditions.

Pics:



Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2018, 01:53:39 PM »
Thank you very much to both of you!  ;D

No problem!


Mine just arrived today, in fair condition. Green stem with purple-based petioles. The bit of tuber at the base looks brightly purple (a bit dulled by the soil, but still bright). I planted it into the tomato's tote, where there's a Florido D. alata and a D. rotundata growing already. I placed the stem in the shade while it acclimates to local conditions.

Pics:



Thank you Ceasar! Please reserve to me one tiny bulb of the 3 species you have.   ;D

Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2018, 02:50:27 PM »
Thank you Ceasar! Please reserve to me one tiny bulb of the 3 species you have.   ;D

I have other species too, and still more on the way. I even found a local source of D. esculenta that I'm going to look into. I'll save you some from all the ones I grow.  :)

Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2018, 03:06:52 PM »
Thank you Ceasar! Please reserve to me one tiny bulb of the 3 species you have.   ;D

I have other species too, and still more on the way. I even found a local source of D. esculenta that I'm going to look into. I'll save you some from all the ones I grow.  :)
Thank's!  ;D

Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2018, 04:12:39 PM »
I couldn't resist and ended up buying a bulbil from eBay. A variety sold as Dark Night St. Vincent. The seller has good reviews and the photos seem legit, so I doubt it's a scam (and we all know seed scams abound on eBay). It looked insanely purple on the inside, and even the stem looker thorough purple in the pics. It was overpriced, but I couldn't resist. I think it's supposed to arrive next week.
Hi! Please can you post the link of this seller please? Thank's!  ;D

Hi Luis, you can also try to contact this italian nursery that sell the plant:
http://www.vivaiocorazza.com/en/products/872-dioscorea-alata-.html

I got mine from there, and it's a nice healthy specimen. I can post the pictures if you want.
They have the english website so maybe they ship abroad.
Hello my friend! How is your alata doing? It's growing well? Thank's!  ;D

00christian00

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2018, 10:39:15 AM »
I couldn't resist and ended up buying a bulbil from eBay. A variety sold as Dark Night St. Vincent. The seller has good reviews and the photos seem legit, so I doubt it's a scam (and we all know seed scams abound on eBay). It looked insanely purple on the inside, and even the stem looker thorough purple in the pics. It was overpriced, but I couldn't resist. I think it's supposed to arrive next week.
Hi! Please can you post the link of this seller please? Thank's!  ;D

Hi Luis, you can also try to contact this italian nursery that sell the plant:
http://www.vivaiocorazza.com/en/products/872-dioscorea-alata-.html

I got mine from there, and it's a nice healthy specimen. I can post the pictures if you want.
They have the english website so maybe they ship abroad.
Hello my friend! How is your alata doing? It's growing well? Thank's!  ;D
I would say very well. Have been growing steadily, it has slowed down these days because I repotted.
It's around 100-120cm now.


Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2018, 11:43:26 AM »
It looks really well! Congratulations! I ordered two of them... i'm thinking to plant them on one big pot and grow them outside below a corktree.... any sugestions? And regarding watering? Thank's!

00christian00

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2018, 02:20:26 PM »
It looks really well! Congratulations! I ordered two of them... i'm thinking to plant them on one big pot and grow them outside below a corktree.... any sugestions? And regarding watering? Thank's!
It has been 1 month only so can't help much.
I always use a lot of perlite for the plants I care most, I prefer water more often than risk roots issues.

Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #16 on: July 05, 2018, 05:56:16 AM »
It looks really well! Congratulations! I ordered two of them... i'm thinking to plant them on one big pot and grow them outside below a corktree.... any sugestions? And regarding watering? Thank's!
It has been 1 month only so can't help much.
I always use a lot of perlite for the plants I care most, I prefer water more often than risk roots issues.
Thank you very much! I will update the growing of alata bulbs...  ;D

Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #17 on: July 06, 2018, 04:49:12 PM »
I'm concerned about my own vine. It was pretty enough on arrival, but for its stay in the box it was limp, with slightly yellowed leaves and a worryingly dark growing tip. Well so far it has remained limp, and while the greater tip area has gained a slight coiling curve, the dark tip finally looks dry and dead. I don't know if leaving it alone will yield new growth from another node or from the rootstock, or if the whole thing will end up dead. I might cut the very tip off to encourage branching, but I'm concerned that might hurt it. It occurred to me to cut the vine off at soil level and pray that the rootstock will send up a new vine (because it did have a nice little bulb and seemingly good roots when planted), but I fear that might end up finishing it off. Anybody got any ideas? For the time being, I plan on leaving it alone for a week or two in case the vine bounces back, but if it looks like it's going downhill, I'll probably cut the top growth off entirely.

00christian00

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #18 on: July 06, 2018, 06:47:17 PM »
I'm concerned about my own vine. It was pretty enough on arrival, but for its stay in the box it was limp, with slightly yellowed leaves and a worryingly dark growing tip. Well so far it has remained limp, and while the greater tip area has gained a slight coiling curve, the dark tip finally looks dry and dead. I don't know if leaving it alone will yield new growth from another node or from the rootstock, or if the whole thing will end up dead. I might cut the very tip off to encourage branching, but I'm concerned that might hurt it. It occurred to me to cut the vine off at soil level and pray that the rootstock will send up a new vine (because it did have a nice little bulb and seemingly good roots when planted), but I fear that might end up finishing it off. Anybody got any ideas? For the time being, I plan on leaving it alone for a week or two in case the vine bounces back, but if it looks like it's going downhill, I'll probably cut the top growth off entirely.
The aerial part is very delicate. Mine too was half damaged but luckily it resprouted immediately below the damage and now it does roughly 3-5cm per day.
Maybe it doesn't like the substrate or you are watering too much?
Since it's so delicate I guess it doesn't stand wind well too, are you keeping it outdoor with windy days?
I am keeping mine inside in a well lit position until it's large enough.

Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #19 on: July 06, 2018, 07:29:49 PM »
The aerial part is very delicate. Mine too was half damaged but luckily it resprouted immediately below the damage and now it does roughly 3-5cm per day.
Maybe it doesn't like the substrate or you are watering too much?
Since it's so delicate I guess it doesn't stand wind well too, are you keeping it outdoor with windy days?
I am keeping mine inside in a well lit position until it's large enough.

If it resprouts so readily, I don't think I'll have to take drastic measures. Thanks!

It's usually not too dry, nor too wet; I'd say it's well balanced (but not today, I just watered right now 'cause it was looking dry). The substrate in this tote is mostly compost, so I doubt that's the issue. It's outdoors, but in an area that's well protected from the wind, and with only some morning sun (indirect, because I've placed the vine amongst other plants for protection). I think it's mostly the shipping stress that's causing this.

Only 1st year bulbil-grown plants are so thin at the start, and even then if sprouted in-situ (as opposed to protected) they can handle tough conditions and moderate wind fairly well. Vines grown from tuber cuttings start off much stouter and stronger. I have a Florido alata sprouting right next door from a tuber cutting, and the difference is rather big.

Here's a picture of the upper vine, the tip damage , and the Florido yam (to the right of the picture, with tomato leaf and stem in the fore and background respectively, and the Ube vine just behind the Florido sprout):




pineislander

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #20 on: July 07, 2018, 09:45:19 PM »
Here is a picture of one teepee of my purple alata. These were from cut tubers I had grown last year. I cut and dusted them with wood ash, dried then planted them out. The second picture shows the structure which made the teepee, it is a steel t-post made for fencing driven in deeply with a stout bamboo extension tied on. The twine is a very strong fiber reinforced plastic twine used for baling hay which is secured to treated wooden stakes. The second one shown has  vining winged beans growing up. These structures are scattered throughout a 1/4 hectare planting of 50 young mango trees with banana, plantain, papaya, cassava, capsicum, sweet potato, eggplant, various greens, herbs and flowering plants, even some cotton, pigeon peas, peanuts & assorted legumes and a few plants I am just trying out. The beds are mounded, topped with compost and everything is thickly mulched.
All of my collection of yams was planted this way, two of purple alata, two of ordinary white alata, one of yellow yam and one of D. trifida.




Caesar

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #21 on: July 10, 2018, 02:37:57 PM »
That's a mighty fine planting you have there. Would you say the mulch has worked favorably at keeping the weeds down?

I haven't seen any new growth, but my ube seems to be perking up a bit, so that bodes well. With all the roots I've been growing lately, I'm concerned that I might get nematodes on the property eventually. I'm thinking of intercropping with Marigolds and Huacatay wherever I grow roots. Would that be a good preventative?

pineislander

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #22 on: July 10, 2018, 05:05:19 PM »
I've heard about marigolds. I also understand high organic matter is also helpful.

Luisport

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #23 on: July 12, 2018, 10:44:29 AM »
It looks really well! Congratulations! I ordered two of them... i'm thinking to plant them on one big pot and grow them outside below a corktree.... any sugestions? And regarding watering? Thank's!
I just got my two d. alata plants and they are HUGE! Big pots and very big plants. I'm very impressed, the plants are beautifull and very healthy!  ;D

00christian00

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Re: Anyone grow Dioscorea alata (purple yam/ube)?
« Reply #24 on: July 12, 2018, 11:10:36 AM »
It looks really well! Congratulations! I ordered two of them... i'm thinking to plant them on one big pot and grow them outside below a corktree.... any sugestions? And regarding watering? Thank's!
I just got my two d. alata plants and they are HUGE! Big pots and very big plants. I'm very impressed, the plants are beautifull and very healthy!  ;D

From Italy?