Here's some Yacon

[Tony]

We've just harvested our Yacon and it's really quite impressive, these tubers are a foot or more long and then there was lots of smaller ones attached as well.

We've already had it in curry and salad and the closest thing I can think of is very mild radish ....Good stuff...





























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[British Red]

Great stuff that Tony - well done! Did you try some raw? I find its really very like the flesh of the pear (it used to be known as a ground pear). I have wondered if I could poach it in brandy syrup

 

[Tony]

yeah, raw was the first tasting, i can't say it was pear like, a bit too dry but maybe when we cut into the big root it will be more like that, it was slightly fibrous like a radish, tasty though and wopping

A question, for next year what the process for replanting, do we need to just keep some of the smaller ones back, clean them off and keep them dry and plant them, or is there a specific process?

 

[British Red]

What you have there are storage tubers Tone - they won't regrow.

There are growth tubers around the base of the crown

Yacon Crown by British Red, on Flickr

They are the red, small round bumps here is a close up

Yacon Start by British Red, on Flickr

You will have to cut these free with a sharp knife. plant them in a 2 litre pot full of compost and keep in a frost free place until Spring

Yacon plant by British Red, on Flickr

They can take a while to start growing in Spring so be patient.

 

[Tony]

cool, thanks for that, I just shoed Shelly and she's already got the right bit stored away, just didn't know about the putting in compost now

She probably knows this but does one growth tuber generate the start of one plant in the future? So if we want 6 plants it's 6 growth tubers...

 

[British Red]

just that Tony - one tuber per plant. I sometimes shove more than one on a pot so that if one doesn't grow, there will still be a plant - its easy enough to thin them out later.

You don't have to keep them in compost - just cool, dark and frost free, but I figure in a pot of compost in an unheated greenhouse or shed is a good way to do it. If it gets very cold, wrap the pot up in straw or whatever to stop it freezing through.

 

[Tony]

cool, thanks for that..

Going to get the Oca out next when it's ready

 

[British Red]

Wait until two weeks after the top growth has been frost killed for that - could be into next year if the Winter keeps mild

 

[Tony]

we're still eating the foliage, it's starting to die off bit but still tasty

 

[slowworm]

I tend to keep the whole base of the crown, all the growing tips, together and leave in a pot of moist, but not wet, compost in a frost and pest free location. Then in early spring divide up and keep the best ones for planting or sending on. It saves room that way.

As for the tubers, grated raw in a coleslaw is interesting. I've found the best use in stir-fries.

 

[Tony]

Cool, thanks for that we make quite a bit of coleslaw so we'll give that a go...

 

[slowworm]

Bumping and old thread...

Has anyone else grown yacon this year? I'd like some more ideas for uses as it's so easy to grow.

 

[Bigfoot]

Never even heard of it until this thread - the things you learn on Bushcraft UK continue to amaze

 

[Tony]

No, not grown any since that batch 3 years ago, it was good though so well worth the effort. I don't know if Hugh is still growing it, he's not been on for a while, I miss his font of knowledge...