Sugar cane belongs to the grass family, and grows in the form of tall, narrow stems or stems. In autumn, the barrel is buried horizontally inside furrows. It does not require special care during the winter and in the spring you will see shoots appear that grow tall like bamboo. With the harvest you can make a delicious syrup.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Planting the Sugar Cane
Step 1. Choose healthy sugar cane plants
It is easier to find them during the harvest season, in late summer and early autumn. If you can't get them at your local garden center or nursery, you can search roadside vegetable stalls and farmer's markets. Asian grocery stores often have sugar cane.
- Look for plants with thick and long stems, as they are more likely to produce healthy new plants.
- The stems have several nodes, and from each of these a new plant sprouts. Taking this feature into consideration, buy many stems depending on your needs and how much production you want to get.
Step 2. Divide the sugar cane stems into pieces about 30 cm long
Leave 3-4 knots on each piece to increase the chances that each segment will produce some shoots. If the stems have leaves or flowers, remove them and go quietly.
Step 3. Choose a sunny spot to plant your sugar cane and dig some furrows
You need to plant the stems horizontally, in rows or trenches 10 cm deep. This plant needs full sun, so you need to choose an area that isn't in shade. Make holes long enough to allow the pieces of stems to sit perfectly in the ground and make sure that the holes are 30 cm apart.
Use a spade or hoe, rather than a shovel, to make the digging work easier
Step 4. Moisten the soil
Use a garden hose to lightly moisten the grooves and prepare them for the sugar cane. Make sure the soil is well-drained and no puddles remain before planting sugar canes.
Step 5. Plant the plants
Place the stems horizontally in the furrows and cover them with soil. Make sure you don't put them upright, otherwise they won't grow.
Step 6. Wait for the plants to start growing
In spring, usually in April or May, the first shoots begin to form from the nodes of the stems. You can see them sprouting from the ground to form individual sugar canes that will grow quite tall by the end of summer.
Part 2 of 3: Grow and Harvest Sugar Cane
Step 1. Fertilize the plants with nitrogen
Since sugar cane is a type of grass, it prefers a fertilizer rich in this substance. You can also apply regular grass fertilizer or choose an organic product such as manure. Fertilize only once, when the first shoots appear, so they will grow strong and healthy so that you can guarantee a good harvest, in the fall.
Step 2. Frequently clear the base of plants from weeds and weeds
Sugar cane grows in difficult conditions and requires little care, other than clearing it of weeds. Don't neglect the soil they grow on, as weeds may suffocate the new shoots before they have a chance to thrive. Constant weeding is necessary until the canes develop enough height that they can shade themselves and suffocate the weeds.
Step 3. Check for pests and diseases
There are a variety of conditions that can negatively impact sugar cane. Pests such as woodworms and insects could affect the crop when the plants are saturated with water, while diseases can cause the development of fungi and rot. Check for pests or rot regularly and take preventative measures to discourage insects and disease whenever possible.
- Selecting sugarcane varieties that are resistant to diseases and viruses known to plague plants in your area is one of the best pest management strategies.
- Applying controlled amounts of appropriate fungicides or pesticides could help prevent fungus or disease from spreading within your crop.
- If you happen to spot an infected plant, remove it immediately, be it pests or diseases.
Step 4. Wait until autumn for harvest
Sugar cane plants should be allowed to grow as long as possible before the frosts of the winter season begin. If you leave them in the ground after the first frost, you will no longer be able to use them to make sugar syrup.
- If you live in a region with long, cold winters, play it safe and harvest sugar cane by the end of September.
- If, on the other hand, you live in an area with mild winters, you can let the plants grow until the end of October.
- If you live in the United States, you can check the frost periods in your area by visiting this web page.
Step 5. Use a machete to cut the reeds close to the ground
The mature stems are tall and thick, similar to bamboo, so with garden shears alone you won't be able to cut them. Get a machete or saw to cut the reeds as close to the ground as possible so that you can use as much plant as possible.
Step 6. Make sure you don't dig or go into the ground
You don't have to damage the roots that have settled because if you leave them in the ground, they will develop into sugarcane again next year.
Step 7. Tear off the leaves from the collected canes
Be sure to wear gloves as the leaves are very sharp, and use them to cover the soil at the base of the plants. The leaves act as organic mulch which protects the roots during the winter. If you can't find enough leaves to cover the entire base of the canes, add some straw to finish the job.
Part 3 of 3: Make the Brown Sugar Syrup
Step 1. Scrub the stems
After spending the season outdoors, they will likely be covered in mold and dirt. Use warm water and a brush to brush the drums of residue and debris until they are completely clean.
Step 2. Cut the stems into 2-3 cm sections
The stems are quite hard, so a tool like a cleaver is definitely better suited for doing the job than a knife. Cut the stems into small sections, then cut them in half again to create a lot of small pieces of sugar cane.
If you have an industrial sugar cane press, you don't need to chop the cane into pieces. In large companies, the juice is extracted from the whole barrel using huge, very heavy presses. There is no equivalent tool suitable for home use, so the method you can use for home-made sugarcane processing is to cut and boil the stems
Step 3. Boil the cane pieces in a large pot filled with water
The sugar is extracted through a long boiling process in which the plant segments are kept pressed for about two hours. The sugary liquid will be ready when it tastes the same as raw cane sugar. You will need to taste the juice several times to determine when it is ready.
- Another way to know when you can proceed with the preparation is to check the pieces of the sugar cane. After a few hours, they take on a light brown color, which indicates that they have been extracted.
- Check the pot every half hour or so to make sure the pieces are still covered in water; if not, add more.
Step 4. Pour the sugar water through a colander into a smaller pot
Use a filter to trap all the fibrous parts of the barrel. These are not needed for your juice, so you can throw them away.
Step 5. Cook the sweetened liquid to turn it into syrup
Boil it until it reduces significantly and takes on the consistency of thick syrup. It may take a couple of hours for this step, so make sure you have the availability to check the pot regularly so that the juice doesn't overcook. To check when it's ready, dip a cold spoon into the pot and check its consistency.
- If you like a rather liquid syrup, you can take it off the heat when you see that it still slips easily off the back of the spoon.
- If, on the other hand, you want it thicker, remove it from the heat when the back of the spoon is veiled by the syrup.
Step 6. Pour the syrup into a glass canning jar
Put a lid on the jar and wait for it to cool completely before storing it in a cool, dry place.
Advice
- The sugar you buy in stores is often treated with animal bone charcoal to whiten it; therefore growing sugar canes yourself for your own consumption is a great idea, especially if you are vegetarian or vegan.
- Sugar cane juice is a refreshing drink that can be served hot or cold.
- Fresh sugar canes can also be pulverized or liquidized, so the juice is extracted directly.
