How do you grow sugar cane?

Grow sugar cane by choosing a good location, planting stalks in furrows, giving them plenty of room to grow, watering them regularly and fertilizing them. This process takes up to four years, which is how long one planting lasts. You need mature cane stalks, shears, water and fertilizer.

1. Choose a good location

   Choose a location with a long, warm growing season. In order for the stalks to germinate, the temperature needs to be between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Growth requires a minimum temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Use well-drained soil with a pH between 5.0 and 8.5.

2. Cut mature cane stalks

   Obtain some mature cane stalks. Cut them into sections so that each section has at least two or three leaf nodes. Plant stalks with more nodes in more temperate climates.

3. Plant the stalks

   Plant stalks horizontally in furrows. Roots grow from the buds located at the nodes of the stalks. Allow 6 feet between the rows so that the sugar cane has plenty of room to grow.

4. Water the stalks

   Sugar cane needs plenty of water, from 60 to 98 inches per growing season. The flowering of the sugar cane depends on the water supply.

5. Fertilize the stalks

   Fertilize the stalks using a high nitrogen and potassium fertilizer. When the stalks mature, use a low-nitrogen fertilizer.