What is yam and how to grow it in the middle lane

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The sweet potato is popularly referred to as “sweet potato”. However, this vegetable has nothing to do with potatoes. This name appeared due to the visual similarity of tubers.

The sweet potato has a sweet taste and is more like a pumpkin. Culture tubers are used in cooking. Compared to potato, tubers have much more nutrients, therefore, are used not only for food, but also for medicinal purposes. In China, it was even called "the fruit of longevity."

What is yam? Simple and indoor ipomoea

Plant from the Ipomeania family. In the decorative floriculture often grow such a crop as a flower with which is called ipomoea. In this genus is present and the Ipomoea yam. Orchard varieties are commonly used in floriculture, but their fruits are also potatoes. edible and can be eaten.

It comes from a tropical region of America. For the first time, the culture began to grow in Colombia, Peru and Chile. And today they are usually grown in tropical and subtropical regions of America, as well as in India, China, and New Zealand.

Ipomoea is a grassy vine. The length of the lashes can reach 2 meters. Previously, Ipomoea yam was grown exclusively for food purposes, and today it is grown for indoor, street and urban gardening. However, for the design used decorative varieties of Ipomoea,which were derived specifically for this purpose.

The length of the stems can reach 5 meters. In indoor floriculture rarely exceeds 3 meters. Culture height rarely exceeds 20 cm. The leaves are quite large.

The shape of the leaves is usually heart-shaped. Leaf color can be green or almost purple.

The yam can have completely different colors: pink, cream, orange and white. Tastes of fruits are also different, but they are all sweet. Fruit weight can reach 3 kilogram. The weight of the smallest tubers is about 200 grams.

The beneficial properties of sweet potatoes

The composition includes many vitamins and beneficial trace elements. These are vitamins PP, F, C, and also vitamins of group B. Among the elements that are in the composition of the sweet potato are:

• Calcium;
• Potassium;
• Magnesium;
• Iron;
• Phosphorus.

The chemical composition determines the beneficial properties. Batat is recommended to use:

1. In cardiovascular diseases;
2. In order to cancer prevention;
3. In order to lose weight;
4. For the treatment of insomnia, neurosis, depression and chronic fatigue;
5. To strengthen the walls of the stomach and the prevention of gastritis, stomach ulcers;
6. To enhance immunity.

Contraindications in the use of vegetables

Not recommended use in the presence of the following diseases:

• Ulcerative colitis;
• Stomach ulcer;
• Individual intolerance;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

It is also not recommended to use the tubers of this culture to women who are in a state of pregnancy and lactation.

Interesting Facts

1. Yam tubers may have different flavors. The taste of tubers may resemble a banana, nuts, melons, pumpkins, zucchini or chestnut;
2. In America, tubers with orange pulp are more commonly grown. In Asia, however, prefer the baton with the pulp of purple or cream color;
3. You can get alcohol, sugar, and molasses from fruits. In addition, in cooking are used stalks and leaves culture.However, they must first be soaked in water to eliminate bitterness.

Popular varieties

Popular varieties include the following:

• Nancy Hall - the most popular variety. It was launched in the early 20th century. From the time of planting until the harvest takes about 100 days. The rind of tubers has a light color. The flesh is yellow with specks of orange shade. May be consumed raw after several months of storage;
• Ginseng red - high-yielding varietal variety of "sweet potato". Tubers have a sweet taste. The taste is reminiscent of chestnut fruit. From the moment of planting to the moment of digging it takes at least 100 days. The variety is well kept;
• Batty - Another popular variety that has a good yield. Batty can also be consumed raw. Raw reminds carrots with flavors of walnut. The peel has a reddish tint. Varietal variety practically does not bloom and is very well stored.

Sweet Potato Recipes

Yams prepare a variety of dishes.

Chips

You can make delicious chips. For cooking you will need:

1. Cut into thin circles;
2. Pre-dryby laying out on a paper towel;
3. Then put the circles on a baking sheet that you want to pre-grease with vegetable oil;
4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Italian herbs on top;
5. Bake in the oven within half an hour.

Mashed potatoes

It is also possible to cook delicious potatoes from culture. sweet taste pureethat is perfect for baby food. This will require putting the peeled tubers in boiling water and boiling for 20 minutes in salted water.

Boiled yam must be wiped with a sieve or meat grinder.

Cream soup

To make a puree soup you will need:

• Sweet potato;
• Carrot;
• Bow;
• Meat or chicken broth;
• Spice.

Other ingredients can be used, such as rice, noodles, peas. In boiling broth is required to put chopped yam, and then chopped onions and carrots. They can initially fry in a pan with the addition of sunflower oil. At the end you need to add salt, pepper and herbs.

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet potatoes - a good option for a variety of salads. In the salad, you can use boiled or fried.

Casserole

To prepare a delicious casserole, you will need the following ingredients:

• Sweet potato;
• Sugar;
• Butter;
• Milk;
• Egg.

All ingredients whipped until smooth. The sweet potatoes need to be pre-baked to be well whipped. Put the prepared mass on the pan, greased with oil. You can add flakes and marshmallows.

Growing and breeding plants

Since yams come from the subtropics, when growing it is required to create the necessary conditions.

Special features

For growing in the middle lane and in the suburbs will need initially germinate tubers. It is recommended to maintain planting material in water or in the soil mixture before planting.

You can start sprouting tubers already in March. Planting them into the ground is required after the formation of sprouts with a length of at least 10 cm.

Before planting the soil is recommended to cover the film. It is advisable not to remove the film during the growing season. It is required to clean it only in the case of irrigation and soil loosening.

Before planting, the ground must be digged or plowed. It is also desirable to make phosphate and potash fertilizers, as well as humus. During the growing season it is required to feed the culture with potash fertilizers. Also good fertilizer - wood ash.

Planting depth of seed - about 15 cm. The distance between the bushes should be not less than 30 cm. Vegetable needs watering, but to prevent stagnation of moisture in the ground can not.

The temperature of the culture should not fall below 10 degrees. The optimum temperature of the content is within 30 degrees.

Growing in Ukraine

However, grow and plant it there easier, because the land there is more nutritious and the temperature is warmer than in the middle lane and in the suburbs.

Terms of care remain the same:

• Regularly required loosen the soil and produce watering, avoiding overflows;
• Maintain a temperature of 30 degrees;
• Feed the culture with humus and potassium phosphate fertilizers.

In the open ground

To grow a vegetable from a tuber in the open ground, it is recommended to sprout the tubers. Sprouting is already possible early spring. It is recommended to do this in a vessel with water or in a soil mixture.

Usually, half of the tubers are germinated, dropping a cut of about a couple of centimeters into the water.

For planting in the ground using cuttings that are formed on the tubers. Their length should be not less than 10 cm. These cuttings - this is the seedlings. You can purchase them in specialized stores and plant in the end of spring in the ground.

Harvesting

It is recommended to dig up the tubers no earlier and no later than mid autumn. Do not wait for frosts. In this case, the vegetable will remain bad. It is also not recommended to dig up tubers in bad weather.

Store tubers required at a temperature about 10 degrees. In the room where the tubers are stored, there must be good air ventilation.

The approximate storage life of sweet potatoes is about six months.

Application in decorative and landscape design

Liana is ideal for indoor, outdoor and urban landscaping. To do this, landscape design apply spectacular decorative varieties Ipomoea yam.

Ipomoean partners can be:

• Petunia;
• Lobularia;
• Chlorophytum;
• Cereal crops.

Culture can decorate gazebos, windows, verandas, as well as flower beds and flower beds.

Sweet potato or sweet potato is a tasty and healthy product that is grown in all regions under certain conditions of care. This is the culture of the Ipomean family. Ipomoea yam is a popular crop in indoor floriculture.