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Repotting guide

When & how to repot Cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Also called Manioc, Yuca, Tapioca plant, Brazilian arrowroot.

More about cassava

About Cassava

Manihot esculenta · also called Manioc, Yuca · edible

Cassava is one of the world's most important starchy root crops, providing a calorie staple for hundreds of millions across Africa, South America, and Asia. Woody-stemmed shrub with large, palmate leaves and thick, starchy roots. Critical safety note: raw cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides and is toxic to both humans and pets until properly processed.

Mature size: 1.5-3 m tall; tuberous roots 30-100 cm long

Watch for — Cassava bacterial blight (CBB): Xanthomonas axonopodis causes leaf spots, stem die-back, and root rot. Use certified disease-free cuttings; remove affected material promptly.

How to tell cassava needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For cassava, watch for these signs:

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot cassava

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Cassavais grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Upright, branching woody-based tropical shrub.

What size pot to step cassava up to

Pot cassava on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot cassava

Pot cassava on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting cassava

  1. Pot on before it is root-bound. Check cassava regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
  2. Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
  3. Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
  4. Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh light, well-drained, sandy or loamy soil of moderate fertility at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
  5. Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water cassava in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for cassava

Cassava wants light, well-drained, sandy or loamy soil of moderate fertility. Cassava thrives in poor, infertile soils where other crops fail, but does require good drainage. Avoid heavy clays and waterlogged sites. pH 5.5–7.0. Do not over-fertilise with nitrogen. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting cassava — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot cassava?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for cassava. Cassava is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into light, well-drained, sandy or loamy soil of moderate fertility so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does cassava need?

Pot cassava on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check. Use our pot size calculator to size it from the plant's current pot and root spread.

When is the best time of year to repot cassava?

Pot cassava on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Can you put cassava straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing cassava should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise cassava after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting cassava. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.

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