Oca is one of the 'Lost Crops' of the Incas and still eaten widely in South America.
Seed Oca by British Red, on Flickr
Its grown just like potato and tastes like potato with lemon on. It is though unrelated to the potato and completely immune to blight.
Another advantage over spuds is that you eat the foliage - the nearest I can come is wood sorrel (which it resembles although much larger and bushier)
The combination of blight immunity and edible foliage make it, for us, a far better crop than potatoes. However they are unfortunately more expensive than seed potatoes. However small Oca tubers can be kept back and replanted, so you only have to buy them once
Oca PLants by British Red, on Flickr
The tubers start to form in short days (November on), so if you are in the far North, do whoddy did and start them indoors or in a greenhouse in pots - she had great results!.
You plant it 1 foot apart (rows and plants) after the risk of frost has passed (I usually risk it in March). You can chit like spuds, but I have planted without and they all grew.
Planted oca by British Red, on Flickr
Red oca by British Red, on Flickr
You cannot harvest though until two weeks after frost has killed the top growth.
Frosted Oca by British Red, on Flickr
I have had about a pound of bulbs per square foot. For many last year had a lower yield, but the weather will have an effect of course.
Lifted Oca by British Red, on Flickr
Real seeds charge £8 for 5 or 6 of these (plus postage)
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/unusualtubers.html
I will happily supply 10 tubers for £5 plus p&p of £4.
If you want more than 10 tubers, this is not a problem and I can add 10 more for the same postage
If you want some, put a post on here with how many you want then shoot me a PM with how many you need and we'll sort it out.
Payment by PayPal only please
So
10 tubers : £9
20 tubers: £14
Red
Seed Oca by British Red, on Flickr
Its grown just like potato and tastes like potato with lemon on. It is though unrelated to the potato and completely immune to blight.
Another advantage over spuds is that you eat the foliage - the nearest I can come is wood sorrel (which it resembles although much larger and bushier)
The combination of blight immunity and edible foliage make it, for us, a far better crop than potatoes. However they are unfortunately more expensive than seed potatoes. However small Oca tubers can be kept back and replanted, so you only have to buy them once
Oca PLants by British Red, on Flickr
The tubers start to form in short days (November on), so if you are in the far North, do whoddy did and start them indoors or in a greenhouse in pots - she had great results!.
You plant it 1 foot apart (rows and plants) after the risk of frost has passed (I usually risk it in March). You can chit like spuds, but I have planted without and they all grew.
Planted oca by British Red, on Flickr
Red oca by British Red, on Flickr
You cannot harvest though until two weeks after frost has killed the top growth.
Frosted Oca by British Red, on Flickr
I have had about a pound of bulbs per square foot. For many last year had a lower yield, but the weather will have an effect of course.
Lifted Oca by British Red, on Flickr
Real seeds charge £8 for 5 or 6 of these (plus postage)
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/unusualtubers.html
I will happily supply 10 tubers for £5 plus p&p of £4.
If you want more than 10 tubers, this is not a problem and I can add 10 more for the same postage
If you want some, put a post on here with how many you want then shoot me a PM with how many you need and we'll sort it out.
Payment by PayPal only please
So
10 tubers : £9
20 tubers: £14
Red
