How to Dig Yam Beds and Plant Yams (Dioscorea spp.)

True yams are one of the best survival food crops in the world. Here is how I plant them.

You can see my other video on propagating yams from minisetts here:    • How to Propagate Yams the Easy Way (The Mi...  

How to Plant Yams

Yams are one of the best survival crops in the world. There are multiple varieties, from the Lisbon yam to the yellow yam, the potato yam to the purple yam. They are all in the Dioscorea family and are not to be confused with sweet potatoes, which are not even slightly related.

Here's how to grow yams:

Step 1: Dig beds

I use a broadfork, followed by a digging hoe, to make mounds. Loose soil is important for yam growth. It is important to have fertile soil. Rotted pen manure is a good option and is preferable to chemical fertilizers. In the case of my yam beds, I do not need to add fertilizer or manure because the ground is newly worked and is filled with nitrogen from the leguminous trees we removed.

Step 2: Plant Yam Pieces

Yams can be started from pieces of the roots, from the "heads" of the previous year's growth, or from aerial bulbils on some species. Plant, but not too deep, knowing that the yams will grow down from where they are buried.

Step 3: Add Support

Though you don't see this part in the video, this is the next step you must take. Yams like support so they can climb into the sun and grow. If you don't stake them, they won't produce. In a future video I will demonstrate my staking method.

If you don't get rain, be sure to water your newly planted yam beds.

Step 4: Keep Yams Weeded!

Keep your yam beds weeded so they don't face root competition during the growing season. Also be sure to direct the yam vines onto your trellising system so they don't wander off along the ground.

Step 6: Harvesting Yams

When the vines die back in winter, it is time to dig your yams. Carefully dig around them so as not to cut into the roots, then wash them gently. The heads can be removed before selling the root, as you'll want them for next year's planting. If you are not planning on selling the yams, you can just leave the heads on until you want to eat the yam yourself.

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