Absolutely yes!
Cut the vines leaving a node on each piece of vine. Plant
each slip into the ground and water them. Keep it moist
until you see growth. As the vines grow get more slips and plant until you have what you want. You could even save some to share in swaps.
Boniatos are very tasty. I plan on planting this spring
Sweet potatoes and boniatos.
The Boniatos will be edible.
On the yuca.We have had several discussions here and you can look it up in the archives of this forum. But with the yucas you must have some canes or branches from the plant itself. You living in south florida should be easy to find a neighbor with some plants. Just keep your eyes open and when you see some just ask the person if he could share some canes with you. Make sure you read the archives to read how to plant them and there are some pictures of some of us who have gotten some harvest.
Felix

thank you Felix for those excellent directions

I didn't know if my potted whole bonaito would work since it was a total accident, it had vines already when I found it in the back of my pantry. It was store bought from publix, I buried it in a pot and now I have about three 20 inch vines on it.

I'll have to go look up what the cassava plant looks like before I can knock on any doors :D

Felix, how is bonaito different from sweet potato? I've never eaten it. ;o)

Hi
had to share my experience with it. We bought some to try it out at a vegetable stand, Didn't like it so planted the remaing small piece in a flower bed. Almost forgot about the suddenly noticed vines growing rampantly in every direction. Last spring I redid the bed and carefully removed every piece I could find. Right now I have it popping up in 12 places as far as 25 feet from the original location lol. The slightest cutting will grow again!!
I fear I can add this to the list of "weeds" that i planted myself lol It even outgrows the wild morning glory!! Be careful with it for sure unless you're going into the market?? gary

Katkin, boniato taste similar to roasted chestnuts.
A sweet,nutty taste. That is my opinion. Some others
may want to give you their thoughts about the taste.
Leelee, the yuca plant looks similar to cannabis so be careful. You could find more than what you bargain for.
Gary,you're too funny. I wish I had your problems
with boniato growing like weeds. Just send them to me.
Or better yet give them to a soup kitchen.
I had a crop that was taken over by moles. They left me with none,little devils.
Felix

i've only had boniato from the grocery, and judging by my experience with many other foods (persimmons, figs, yucca, dragonfruit), what you get in the grocery doesn't compare with the real, fresh stuff. that said, i cooked a bunch in various mexican dishes (bayless) & i found that boniato was weirdly floral--it had too much flavor, really. in the end, i decided the old batata was the way to go.

imo bonaito is as sweet but has a denser texture than your ordinary orange/yellow sweet potato.

I love fried bonaito sprinkled lightly with salt. We also do the typical west indian boil and fry. You boil your bonaito, cassava, and whatever other yams, then fry/saute with choice of seasonings and eat with saltfish. I also like it boiled in chunky pieces for soups. We do soups with cassava, bonaito and ripe plantains...mmm so good.

Felix since you have experience with bonaito (I found that thread with your harvest pics)can I use a potato bag to grow them or a container? I'm afraid of the moles, rats and other wildlife getting to them before me. How deep do they grow, can I grow them in a raised bed that has a bottom?

Also how well do they grow in the north side of my side, partial shade, because that entire area is free and I wouldn't mind a bonaito or cassava jungle there.

Oh and one more thing, if possible at all since you already have some, would it be possible to get a cutting from you for the cassava? I'm in sunrise and from this morning's drive, I haven't spotted any cassava yet, there is a possible variegated one, but i don't know about that being edible or not. I plan on going to fawnridge's swap in march....

Katkin, Gary
Some foods are an acquired taste. Right Felix? I like boniato too and a lot of other roots.

Durian, Bhot Jolokia any one? On the other hand you have to be brave to eat these.

Michael
I think we have the same books.LOL. Rick Bayless? He is not too followed in the Mexican community, they say he is not the "real deal". I like his cooking and have one of his books. He has a garden in the back of his restaurant in Chicago, you probably know that.

Willy

I love boniato. But have not yet grown any.
I have problems growing sweet potatoes in my sandy garden. Seems something eats them every year. I only get ugly, misshapen tubers, I'd never eat.
The vines grow rampantly though.

I agree with Felix, they taste much like roasted Italian chestnuts. The texture is dry. I like to parboil them and fry in butter or oil too. They are very good baked, topped with butter, or used dry in a dressing (like chestnuts)for turkey.
Boiled and mashed with milk or coconut milk, mmmm.

When you peel them they oxidize very quickly, turning brown right before your eyes. I toss them immediately into a bowl of water with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to slow the oxidation. Most people I know don't like the discoloration, but have loved the flavor.

When buying, look for fresh reddish skin, nice and firm with no sunken or dark spots.

I'm going to look in my local Cuban market tomorrow for some to start and more to eat. They usually have nice fresh ones, cheap too. Hope they'll grow for me.

Yuca is not one of my favorites. But it grows well here. My harvest was good, tender, but retained that bitterness. Not bad, quite edible, but not my favorite.

This has been a good thread. much information has been given.Everything is an acquired taste, Willie.
There are things that my wife and I hated when we were younger that now we like to eat. Two of my children do not like black beans. One does not like platanos and so on.
I tell them if they want any Cuban genes in them they got
to eat that stuff.LOL
Leelee, yuca and boniato needs plenty of sun to give you a good crop. I don,t know how you van protect a root crop with a form of shield to protect it against moles and such.
A raise bed with a heavy screened bottom may work. If you do try it please let us all know.
I would give you some to start but I'm way up here in the north country of north central Fla. I doubt ever going to Ricky's. Maybe some one else close to you that will be going to the swap a Que,could give you some start up.
Guys!? Any one that could help here would be greatly appreciated.
As I walk using my cane,the cane penetrates the ground a few inches into it. I suspect that there is an underground
community underneath my property. I could use my imagination and write a children's book.LOL.
"Baby it's cold outside 30 degrees here,brrrr~
Felix

leele
Your recipes sound yummy!
I love acki, callalloo, roti, and Caribbean food.

treefrog
I am growing my fingerling potatoes in half barrel buckets. They are doing good.
Maybe I will start some sweet potatoes or other roots in similar containers.

My Cuban friend in NY made the most delicious dish for me one time.
It had bacalao, malanga, boniato, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yuca in a milky broth. I wish I had asked for the recipe!

Willy

willy, I think the secret to your friend's recipe is cooking all the stuff with coconut milk, not the fresh stuff. Publix and other stores sell dried coconut milk, it comes in bars that you cut up and add to hot water in whatever you're cooking. I use it in rice and soup dishes.

I've decided to try growing 1 clipping in a 7 gallon smart pot, do you think that will be enough or should I go for a bigger pot and more clippings. I have a sunny spot under a currently bare tree that I can put it under and then move once the tree gets back it's leaves. thanks for the tips in the meantime, I've learned lots.

leelee, you maybe right on the recipe using coconut milk. If anything, can probably change it and make it into a nice curry. I would like that too.

I am no expert on planting in Florida by all means (calling Felix, Jacob expert on all things roots).
I think your 7 gallon smart pot sounds right for one clipping.
In my half-barrel buckets I have a few fingerlings (probably crowding themselves) I will post pictures when I take them out to see how they did. I am like everyone else worried about the critters underground.

My neighbor, new to Florida, said "the other day when I was in the pool, I saw a big rat peeking". We told him that was no rat, it was a mole! lol

Somebody in the forum posted this site when talking about all things cassava, is called TROPILAB, you might find it interesting. Good luck with your search, and I hope somebody help you find your roots.

Willy

question to Felix and any potato growers, do you fertilize the plants, and how often do you do it during the growing season? thanks in advance.

Willy,

I think you already have the recipe, if you're making a stew. That ingredient list looks good to me.

Throw in a half stick of butter (I know, no one cooks with butter anymore but me and everyone's grandmother, but everyone likes eating at my house, or their grandmother's house. Butter is not bad! It's wonderful.)
Then, when everything is almost cooked, toss in a big bunch of cilantro, finely chopped so it doesn't stick to your teeth, and salt and pepper to taste. Some chopped tomatoes at the end are good too. A hot pepper, also finely chopped, would be good stewing in that mixture for awhile. And it's not dominican at all, but I like crushing up a bay leaf in a stew like that. Simple. Yum.

Susannah

Leelee
When I put my fingerling potatoes in the container I also add slow release fertilizer. I use 13-13-13. Some potting soils like Miracle Grow have already the fert added.
If you didn't add this, you can use 1/2 strength liquid fert about once per week when you water.

Susannah
You sound like a great cook. The best cooks that I know improvise and cook without a recipe. And of course all the chefs use butter.

I have a beautiful bay leaf tree in a corner in my yard. It survived the freeze even without covering. I use a lot in cooking. If you don't have one you should consider getting one. It is one of the herbs that grow slow so you are better off getting the plant. I keep mine about 5 feet.

I also have a collection of dried hot chilies and I can use them according to the different recipes and cuisines.

And of course I always have fresh cilantro at the house, I am growing your Santo cilantro now.

Willy

Willy,

I hope the Santo Cilantro does well for you. I really like it. And I've been thinking I need a bay tree. But I've heard they don't do well this far south. I'm thinking about trying anyway because I love bay leaf to cook with. There isn't anything quite like it for taste.

As for being a great cook, no, I'm just a haphazard cook, willing to toss anything in a stew, as long as I have the basics - butter and bay leaves. I also like celery in stew. That's why I'm trying that lovage - I think I sent you some seeds for it too - because it is supposed to taste like celery, but not need the chilly weather that celery does. I'd be awfully happy if I could find a tropical celery substitute. I haven't gotten any lovage seeds to come up yet, so I can't say if it's a good sub or not.

And I'm planting some seeds of yours this weekend. I'm so looking forward to the uvillas!

susannah

I would like to trade with someone for some of those boniato slips??

Hello- I was wondering if any of you could recommend what I can plant during the summer in Zone 9 - Southern Pasco County / Tampa Bay Area. I know I can plant sweet potato and boniato, but how about chayote and other tropicals? Any suggestion on where to get seeds / slips? And any suggestion on planting timeframe? (I missed the county ext. class on planting summer tropicals - sigh). THANKS A BUNCH!

Here is something similar:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/43751&cid=pport0001?CAWELAID=142099011

As for which way to start sweet potato, I would say start from the edible part, the tubers. Is that the same thing as a slip? But, whatever. They are much easier to start, and, as we all know, morning glory seeds can be hard to start sometimes. And, sweet potato is a type of morning glory.

I also found another similar one, that is a little cheaper:

http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_71565

I put a piece of the boniato, in some soil to get the slips and I noticed the piece is rooting like crazy ,will that develop tubers or only planting the slips?

I planted and grew my first boniatos, but they tasted balnd no sweetness, what did I miss?

I am interested to grow boniato and don't know any propagation source for sale. If anyone can share information I would appreciate it. I am not in south FL but might be able to order something from a nursery there. Thanks. Robert