Overwinter cassava by saving mature stems or moving a pot under cover before a freeze. A freeze-killed top will not give that year's roots.
Before a freeze, save mature stems or move a pot under cover
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before the first freeze, while stems are still mature and firm | Do not wait until the top is black from frost if you wanted those roots |
| Stems | Cut mature lengths and keep them cool, dry, and frost-free | Do not store cuttings wet, where they rot |
| Pot | A draining pot you can roll into a warm, bright room | Do not leave a patio plant out through a freeze |
| Ground | Leave a plant in the bed only where frost does not kill the crop | Do not count on a freeze-killed shrub for a harvest that year |
cassava is tender. A freeze knocks the top down and spoils that year's roots, so lift the crop first on Harvesting Cassava, or keep planting stock for spring. [1] A patio plant can come indoors before that night. Keep it in a warm, well-lit room and do not soak the mix. [2] Dry storage keeps the buds alive; wet bundles rot before spring.
- If you still want roots this year, lift them before the freeze.
- Cut mature stems into planting lengths and store them cool, dry, and above freezing.
- Or stick a few cuttings in a draining pot and keep that pot frost-free.
- Set the saved stems out after frost on Planting Cassava.
If it dies back, it may sprout — that year still needs a long warm season
Where the freeze is light, the top may die to the ground and the plant may sprout again in spring. [3] That sprout still needs eight to eleven frost-free months before the roots are worth digging, so a short summer after a late freeze will not finish the crop. [4] If your warm season is short, treat the sprout as next year's stock and plant fresh cuttings after frost instead of waiting on a thin crop. Summer sun and watering stay on How to Grow Cassava.
Can I leave cassava in the ground all winter?
Only where frost does not kill the crop. Anywhere a freeze is likely, save stems or move a pot, and lift roots before that night.
Lift the roots or save the stems before the freeze, then plant those cuttings again after frost.
FAQ
Can I grow cassava as a houseplant all year?
A bright, warm room will keep a pot alive through winter. It is not a dim windowsill crop, and a small pot will not make a full root harvest.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/manihot-esculenta/ - [2] Gardening Know How -
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/cassava/growing-cassava-yuca.htm - [3] University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture -
https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/cassava-10-12-07.aspx - [4] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/cassava/
This note is part of Manihot Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors