Growing Yams in Sack Bags is an excellent way to make the most out of your garden space. However, some of us may not have enough room in our yards to plant a yam garden. This is where planting yam in bags comes in handy.
Sunday Obichukwu, the Chief Executive Officer of Fairworld Farms has embraced growing yam in sacks for three years. Here is what he has got to say, it is more convenient because I don’t have to engage in land preparation or even weed.
When you introduce fertiliser into the sacks, it stays there and the yams get all the fertiliser unlike the conventional way of planting where you introduce fertiliser and it is washed away by rain.
In this article, we will show you how to grow yam in sack bags from preparation to planting the yam itself.
5 steps on Growing Yams in Sack Bags
- Select and Prepare the Bag
First, select the appropriate number of sack bags to use for cultivation. There is no restriction to the appropriate bags size of bags from bags of rice, cement sacks etc. What you must do is select and wash the bag with water so it’s clean from the chemicals
2. Prepare the soil
The right soil for a very good yield in yam cultivation is sandy and loamy soil. Yams are upland crops and they should be planted in a well-drained field.
Optimum yields are obtained from sandy loam and silt loam soil, fair acceptable yields are also obtained from clay loam soils, particularly those high in organic matter.
Avoid stony and highly compacted soil, the yields are very poor
3. Add the soil to the bag
Mix the soil with some organic matter (fermented/decomposed animal dung), use a shovel to mix it appropriately and pour it into the bag. Fill up three-quarters (3/4) of the bag, leaving a small amount of space at the top. This will allow you to add fertilizer and other nutrients to the soil as needed.
4. Position the bag
Place the bag in a permanent position where it will receive enough sunlight to grow. It’s important to position the bag in a place where it won’t have to be moved frequently, as it can become heavy once it’s filled with soil.
5. Plant the Yam
Finally, it’s time to plant the yam. Take a yam seed and cut a small piece off the end. This will help the yam to sprout faster once it’s planted in the soil.
Place the yam seed in the centre of the bag, burying it about 3 inches deep. Make sure that the seed is covered with soil and that it’s positioned in the centre of the bag.
6: Care for Your Yam
Now that your yam is planted, it’s important to care for it properly. Water the plant regularly, making sure not to overwater it. Add fertilizer and other nutrients to the soil as needed, and keep an eye out for any signs of disease or pests.
7. Stake the yam vines
Yams are climbers hence their vines need stakes for better display of leaves. Plants that are not provided with stakes yield less than those with stakes.
You can stake with ropes such as in the case of cucumbers or with bamboo/wood which the vines can stake around
In Conclusion, Planting yams in bags is a great way to grow your own delicious, fresh produce. By following these simple steps, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of this nutritious root vegetable.
If you have any questions or encounter any problems, feel free to leave a comment below.
Happy planting!
