How to Grow Cassava in California

Cut stems from a healthy cassava plant that has already produced large roots, using a sharp knife or shears. Cuttings are best made at least 8 inches from the bottom of a stem, and they should be roughly 10 inches long. Each cutting should include at least one bud. Store them in a cool, dry place for 10 days prior to planting.

Prepare the soil by tilling it and amending it with compost. Though cassava will grow in essentially any soil condition, it produces the biggest roots in rich soil that has been loosened. Apply a basal application of 14-14-14 fertilizer, meaning evenly on top of all the soil, and till it gently so that the fertilizer is largely mixed in or covered by a thin layer of soil. Use about 3 1/2 pounds of fertilizer per 500 square feet.

Use your gloved hands to form rows of raised ridges in the soil. The ridges should be 6 to 10 inches tall, and spaced 3 feet apart. Form enough raised rows to accommodate all your cuttings, which will be planted at 3-foot intervals.

Plant each cutting vertically in moist soil, with the bottom half buried and the top half protruding from the soil. Use your hands to compress the soil down around the base of the cutting. Firming up the soil helps prevent wind damage while the cassava is taking root.

Water as necessary to keep the soil moist but not overly wet. Continue mounding up the soil around the base of each cutting for the first 6 weeks to decrease the probability of wind damage.

Fertilize each cassava plant two months after planting with a 46-0-0 urea fertilizer or an organic manure. Use about 1 1/2 pounds per 500 square feet, and apply either in a 6-inch band around the base of each plant.