The cultivation of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a rewarding endeavor for the Florida home gardener, offering a unique, towering crop. Florida’s climate provides the long, hot, and humid growing season required to produce high sugar content. The state’s history with the crop dates back centuries, and modern home growers can successfully tap into this agricultural heritage. Successfully growing sugarcane depends on making informed choices about the variety and the planting location.
Selecting Appropriate Varieties and Location
Choosing a sugarcane variety tailored for chewing or syrup production is better for the home gardener than selecting cold-sensitive commercial types. Backyard varieties like ‘Sweet Florida Green’ or ‘Home Green’ are popular and productive in Florida’s environment. Other suitable choices include ‘Yellow Gal’ or ‘Louisiana Ribbon,’ which are categorized as chewing or syrup canes.
The location requires careful consideration, as sugarcane needs maximum solar exposure to thrive and produce sweet stalks. Select a site that receives eight or more hours of direct sunlight daily, as less light results in reduced growth and lower sugar yield. Excellent drainage is equally important, especially considering Florida’s frequent heavy rains. Sugarcane tolerates moisture but will not survive in standing, waterlogged soil for extended periods.
Soil Preparation and Planting Techniques
Properly preparing the soil ensures the cane’s extensive root system can establish itself quickly in Florida’s often sandy soils. The ideal soil acidity for nutrient absorption is a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Amending the planting area with organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, improves water retention and provides a slow-release source of nutrients.
Planting is done using “seed cane,” which is a section of a mature stalk containing at least one viable bud. The traditional method involves digging a furrow roughly six inches deep, which may need to be slightly deeper in very sandy or highly organic soils. Before placing the seed cane, a balanced fertilizer (like an 8-8-8 or 8-2-8 formula) can be spread lightly in the trench bottom, then covered with an inch of soil. The cane pieces should be laid horizontally in the furrow, with the ends overlapping slightly to ensure continuous emergence of new shoots.
Planting should be scheduled during the late winter or early spring (February through March) to allow new shoots to emerge when soil temperatures warm up consistently. This timing ensures young plants avoid potential late-season cold snaps that can damage new growth. Cover the seed cane with two to five inches of loose soil, and keep the area consistently moist until the shoots emerge within a few weeks.
Seasonal Care and Nutrient Management
Sugarcane is a heavy feeder, demanding a consistent supply of nutrients throughout its primary growth period. Nitrogen is a significant nutrient, and an initial feeding should be followed by high-nitrogen applications 30 to 60 days after planting. For home growers, splitting the total annual fertilizer application into multiple smaller doses every month during the active growing season ensures a steady supply of available nitrogen.
After the initial nitrogen application, switch to a more balanced fertilizer to support overall stalk development. A common practice in Florida is to stop all fertilizer applications after mid-July. This signals the plant to shift its energy from vegetative growth to sugar production. Continuing to fertilize past this point delays maturity and reduces the final sugar content of the harvested stalks.
The cane requires consistent moisture to support its growth, making irrigation necessary during dry spells. Good drainage is essential, as overwatering or poor drainage leads to root rot and plant failure. Monitoring the plants for common Florida pests, including wireworms, stalk borers, and mealy bugs, is advisable. Ensuring good air circulation and plant sanitation helps maintain a healthy stand.
Harvesting and Storage
The time to harvest sugarcane is typically in the late fall or early winter, usually around November, before the first significant frost arrives. A heavy frost converts the stalk’s stored sugar into starch, reducing the sweetness and quality of the cane juice. Indicators of maturity include the cane reaching its maximum height, a change in stalk color for some varieties, and the cessation of new leaf growth.
To harvest, use a sharp knife or lopping shears to cut the mature stalks as close to the ground as possible. Cutting low encourages the plant to “ratoon,” meaning it will sprout new canes from the underground buds for the next year’s crop. The soft, green upper portion of the stalk, called the top, contains less sugar and should be trimmed away before consumption or processing.
For home use, harvested stalks can be stored for a short time in a cool, slightly moist environment to prevent drying out. If the stalks are intended to be replanted as seed cane the following spring, they can be buried in a cool, dry place or stored indoors to keep the buds dormant and protected from cold temperatures.