10b (south florida) perennial staple foods

[David H]

We harvested our first plant of Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorhiza )  recently,12 months after planting. The replanting is simple, there are a lot of stem tubers at the surface.
Very good flavour,used like a potato.   It grows in South Florida as well,according to Eric Toensmeier  ,author of " Perennial Vegetables " .  It was very easy to grow here. 
     

[pagnr]

We harvested our first plant of Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorhiza )

Which type are you growing in Ravenshoe ? I have eaten it years ago. I think it was the light purple type. Delicious Coconut/Parsnip Flavour.

[David H]

pagnr,   This one has white flesh, with some purple speckling through it in some of the root tubers.  Some were white only.

Re. the Achira (Canna edulis), the red-leaved form has nicely marked leaves.  The fellow at fairdinkumseeds.com has info. on extracting the starch if you want to dry it.   He lists it under Queensland Arrowroot (Canna indica ).  It's native to the Andes, though,so I'm not sure how it got that name.

[pagnr]

He lists it under Queensland Arrowroot (Canna indica ).  It's native to the Andes, though,so I'm not sure how it got that name.

Pretty sure it was grown for 'Arrowroot' flour in Queensland. Milk Arrowroot Biscuits.

"Originally from South America, it is known as Qld Arrowroot because it was once a major industry in Queensland for the production of starch and flour. Starting in 1870, by 1892 there were 300 acres under production in Coomera and Pimpana, and by 1908 the region supplied the whole country. The industry died out because the crop was not big enough to be mechanised and it was uneconomic to harvest by hand."
("enough to be mechanised and it was uneconomic to harvest by hand." means without the captured South Sea Islander and Kanaka labourers after that practice was banned)

https://www.beelarong.org.au/blog-plants-of-beelarong/2022/6/4/queensland-arrowroot-canna-edulis?rq=arrowroot
http://floreznursery.blogspot.com/2017/03/queensland-arrowrootachira-canna-edulis.html?m=1

Some say Arrowroot comes from an Andean word Araruta ??

[David H]

 Thanks, pagnr.  Yes, I did know that.    It's my fault for being too brief with my comment.     When I said " not sure " what I really meant was that it was
presumptuous of the earlier  people cultivating the  species here to rename it ,as it already had a name, and had been cultivated by the Peruvians for how many thousands of years. That could have called it Peruvian Arrowroot if they wanted to relay the similarity of the use of the tuber to Arrowroot.
Anyway, that's just my opinion, and thanks for the link.

[pagnr]

David, things might be changing ?? I recently got some nice Avocado fruit from my local supermarket. They had a small produce sticker that said AHUACATE ( not Avocado ).
Not sure if they came down from up your way ?? Looked like a skinny Hass type, but not too unusual.

[Julie]

I really enjoy yuca, plantain & coconut.  Sweet potatoes grow very well here but they don't taste as good as supermarket sweet potatoes.  They are much more fibrous & less sweet (even after curing).  They are also pretty invasive - they just come up, I don't plant them.  Pineapple doesn't grow abundantly for me.  I have a huge raised bed full of them for 3 yrs and most of them just languish or they fruit but the fruit doesn't make it to maturity - only have got 2 pineapples so far

[Galatians522]

I really enjoy yuca, plantain & coconut.  Sweet potatoes grow very well here but they don't taste as good as supermarket sweet potatoes.  They are much more fibrous & less sweet (even after curing).  They are also pretty invasive - they just come up, I don't plant them.  Pineapple doesn't grow abundantly for me.  I have a huge raised bed full of them for 3 yrs and most of them just languish or they fruit but the fruit doesn't make it to maturity - only have got 2 pineapples so far

Big pineapples come from big plants with long, wide leaves. They like lots of nitrogen. Maybe give them some space (at least 3' each direction) and apply high nitrogen fertilizer monthly. They have been super easy to grow here--with the exception of freezes.

One other thing, maybe they need better drainage. I have seen them rot in muck or heavy soil even as potted plants. Mine are in sandy loam.

[1rainman]

In my experience pineapples are easy to grow but they seldom fruit. You'll get one here and there but it's random. They'll take lots of fertilizer without being burned. It will grow a bit faster but just not a fast growing plant. They'll also survive in Florida with zero care but will be ragged and probably no fruit.

[bryan]

Longevity spinach is great ground cover, super easy to grow, and has a good mild texture and taste.

[spencerw]

Nothing beats cooking bananas. 20% of my diet is cooking bananas, I eat them daily. I do need to grow about 1000lbs for me and my partner though. Its doable here with 10 maoli mats. Breadfruit is the next most logical. They are amazing if you know how to pick and cook them. Very filling, not sure if that will work in your climate though. There is colocasia and xanthosoma and true yams, sweet potatoes  that are filling too. Check out my blog for other options but sounds like you already know a lot of your perennial vegetables. Peach palm, fruits and palm hearts, and edible bamboos. Beans, canna, cassava, Sacha inchi, and squash too
https://tropicalselfsufficiency.com/

[Galatians522]

Nothing beats cooking bananas. 20% of my diet is cooking bananas, I eat them daily. I do need to grow about 1000lbs for me and my partner though. Its doable here with 10 maoli mats. Breadfruit is the next most logical. They are amazing if you know how to pick and cook them. Very filling, not sure if that will work in your climate though. There is colocasia and xanthosoma and true yams, sweet potatoes  that are filling too. Check out my blog for other options but sounds like you already know a lot of your perennial vegetables. Peach palm, fruits and palm hearts, and edible bamboos. Beans, canna, cassava, Sacha inchi, and squash too
https://tropicalselfsufficiency.com/

By the way Spencer, I have enjoyed reading your website in the past. There is lots of good information, especially your post in bananas. The pictures showing the various deficiencies are very helpful.

[Julie]

I agree with Spencer that cooking bananas/plantains are the best carb source you can grow in the tropics/subtropics.  I'm still looking for the perfect variety for my house.  I have a hua moa plant since I've heard that is very good, but I'm looking for a regular plantain variety as well.  How do you normally prepare them? 

For me thai basil is amazing.  I know it's not a source of carbs but it grows year round very well.

[Julie]

I really enjoy yuca, plantain & coconut.  Sweet potatoes grow very well here but they don't taste as good as supermarket sweet potatoes.  They are much more fibrous & less sweet (even after curing).  They are also pretty invasive - they just come up, I don't plant them.  Pineapple doesn't grow abundantly for me.  I have a huge raised bed full of them for 3 yrs and most of them just languish or they fruit but the fruit doesn't make it to maturity - only have got 2 pineapples so far

Big pineapples come from big plants with long, wide leaves. They like lots of nitrogen. Maybe give them some space (at least 3' each direction) and apply high nitrogen fertilizer monthly. They have been super easy to grow here--with the exception of freezes.

One other thing, maybe they need better drainage. I have seen them rot in muck or heavy soil even as potted plants. Mine are in sandy loam.

Ty for the advice.  I need to start taking better care of them and being more pro-active but I'm so busy

The two sugarloaf pineapples that I had over a year ago were amazing.  This year 3 fruit but the fruits ripened before they reached maturity - not sure why.

[spencerw]

Nothing beats cooking bananas. 20% of my diet is cooking bananas, I eat them daily. I do need to grow about 1000lbs for me and my partner though. Its doable here with 10 maoli mats. Breadfruit is the next most logical. They are amazing if you know how to pick and cook them. Very filling, not sure if that will work in your climate though. There is colocasia and xanthosoma and true yams, sweet potatoes  that are filling too. Check out my blog for other options but sounds like you already know a lot of your perennial vegetables. Peach palm, fruits and palm hearts, and edible bamboos. Beans, canna, cassava, Sacha inchi, and squash too
https://tropicalselfsufficiency.com/

By the way Spencer, I have enjoyed reading your website in the past. There is lots of good information, especially your post in bananas. The pictures showing the various deficiencies are very helpful.

Thanks! Trying to spread information as I learn

[spencerw]

I agree with Spencer that cooking bananas/plantains are the best carb source you can grow in the tropics/subtropics.  I'm still looking for the perfect variety for my house.  I have a hua moa plant since I've heard that is very good, but I'm looking for a regular plantain variety as well.  How do you normally prepare them? 

For me thai basil is amazing.  I know it's not a source of carbs but it grows year round very well.

Huamoa is a great variety, however its a bit of a novelty. I've only had the banana for one cycle and it made a 15lb rack and only 4 hands. As a food source other popo'ulu are more productive. However if you got a huamoa to make a normal type rack then it would be a good food source. But I personally prefer the red trunked popo'ulu as food. Mine made a 50lb rack in a non fertile spot. My next generation is about to flower in a much more cared for location. I'm hoping to get a rack over 65lbs. We shall see. But I love the quick cycle of popoulu. From planting to harvest in 9-10 months. My maoli take 2 years, but give 100lb racks.
I prefer all my bananas cooked, I don't even care to eat them sweet at this point.
Utilizing green: We cut off the tips, slice superficially through the skin, then peel. Then cut into sizeable chunks and boil for 20 minutes. Then take it out, split lengthwise into quarters and then its prepared. We usually freeze them at this point. Great for fries, or mash, or Currys and soups. Use like a potato

[Muni]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3CwPSn1yDI

Some good info on growing pineapples from the White Sugarloaf farm.

[Stomata]

Groundnut (apios americana or prieceana), Jicama (pachyrizus sp.s), dioscorea sp., sweet corn root (calathea allouia), texas ebony (ebenopsis ebano), malabar chestnut. what about oil crops? such as acorns, cocoplums, oil palms, macadamia,. there have to be some many other nuts as well..

[TheVeggieProfessor]

Groundnut (apios americana or prieceana), Jicama (pachyrizus sp.s), dioscorea sp., sweet corn root (calathea allouia), texas ebony (ebenopsis ebano), malabar chestnut. what about oil crops? such as acorns, cocoplums, oil palms, macadamia,. there have to be some many other nuts as well..

I commented earlier about oyster nuts. I'm planning on trying to find some seeds and trying it out next Spring. Sacha inchi seems like a great candidate as well, though I know it's a pain to process the nuts (as is the case for many nuts).