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Post by ottawagardener on Oct 28, 2008 20:20:42 GMT -5
I was just over in (http://toads.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/yacon-day/) Toad's Garden and he posted about a yacon harvest which made me wonder - again - if there another vegetable that I could grow in Ottawa. Memory seemed to recall that their season was too long but then again there are short season sweet potato. Anyhow, it is a perennial edible tubour whose crown is divided and stored (if you live in a frosty zone) for replanting in the spring. I am intrigued but apparently you have to wait until Nov. or Dec. before harvesting. Another source said that they will do well anywhere Dahlia's thrive. Dahlia's grow here but thrive?
Which brings me to Jimaca which Solana seeds are offering. Anyone tried these?
From what I gather Oca as a crop up here is out until more 'work' has been done on it. It sure is pretty though.
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Post by orflo on Oct 29, 2008 2:30:39 GMT -5
jicama:http://alanbishop.proboards60.com/index.cgi?board=others&action=display&thread=1613
yacon:http://alanbishop.proboards60.com/index.cgi?board=banter&action=display&thread=1212
oca:http://alanbishop.proboards60.com/index.cgi?board=banter&action=display&thread=1159
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Post by orflo on Oct 29, 2008 3:39:08 GMT -5
Hey, apparently the links don't work, can anyone help me here?  |
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Post by PatrickW on Oct 29, 2008 4:22:31 GMT -5
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Post by ottawagardener on Oct 29, 2008 9:22:13 GMT -5
Thanks, I promise to check the archives next time but what I'm really looking for are experiences from growers. So how did Yacon grow well for you Frank? Mike, by all over the place in eastern Ontario, do you mean people are growing them? I've seen the tubers in stores too.
Thanks in advance,
Telsing.
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Post by PatrickW on Oct 29, 2008 9:41:56 GMT -5
Yacon is the same plant as dahlias, so if like you said people around you grow those, this should grow too. The main problem Lieven, Søren and I have is overwintering the stem tubers. The plants themselves grow pretty easily, and I think you probably have a long enough season.
The taste is really good, perhaps a bit like melons. They have the same sugar as Jerusalem Artichokes, inulin.
I probably need to harvest mine in the coming days, we've just had our first frost.
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Post by ottawagardener on Oct 29, 2008 9:46:25 GMT -5
Thanks Patrick. People do grow dahlias around here (I was wondering if they were the same. I've heard people say they were 'related' to dahlias (but the roots looked so similar, I was wondering if they were more or less the same) but whether they thrive or not is hard to say. I would be interested in giving them a try and presume that you could store the crowns in the same way you store dahlia crowns for replanting - not that I am tremendously good at that. I like their potential for long storage but I'm guessing that they would require descent humidity like dahlia tubers too?
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Post by PatrickW on Oct 29, 2008 11:24:27 GMT -5
Since overwintering didn't work for me last year, I'm not really the expert. You should really follow the link Frank (orflo) gave above, then read what he posted on the thread. That's really all I know, and I learned it all from him. I seemed to have gone wrong last year by separating the stem tuber too early, as it should stay attached until February apparently.
During the first 3-4 weeks in storage it's uncovered (according to Frank), but after that it can be covered. Since it can be covered I think it shouldn't be too hard to keep up the moisture. I guess just enough so it doesn't shrivel, but not so much it doesn't rot...
Frank is only two hours drive from me, and he doesn't have problems overwintering the tubers. Either it's something I'm doing wrong, or small changes in the climate make all the difference.
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Post by orflo on Oct 29, 2008 14:33:06 GMT -5
OG, check the link , everything is in there...  Yacon is my most productive plant in the whole garden (and I have a bit of variety), experiments have shown that yacon can be twice as productive as potatoes, on the same amount of space (if I remember right yacon goes up to 100 ton/ha, potatoes 50 tons/ha. Try it!!!!You won't be disappointed, I'm sure ;D ;D ;D Oh, Patrick, thanks for correcting the links. The 3-4 weeks uncovered is just to make sure they have made some more oligosaccharides, they taste sweeter after that period. If they are already fine within two weeks, OK; or even if it takes 5 or 6 weeks, still, don't worry. But just don't separate the cluster, they will dry out and shrivel away (what can be tried is to plant the separated clusters in tubs, probably have a go at this within a few weeks). The 'tubers' you eat are in fact swollen roots, and these need a bit of moisture, even when they're not growing. |
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Post by ottawagardener on Oct 29, 2008 16:04:10 GMT -5
With that glowing review, I will have to give it a try! |
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Post by PatrickW on Nov 2, 2008 12:30:38 GMT -5
OG,
I forgot to mention you have to give the yacón plant quite a bit of space, about 90cm in all directions. Keep this im mind when considering the number of plants you want to grow...
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 2, 2008 23:47:32 GMT -5
In general Patrick or for the yacon ;-) Yes, this is why I have the project of removing all my less useful ornmentals from my front 30by30 perennial beds and replacing them with various edibles. In addition to my vegetable beds in the front. Who needs a lawn? Not me... yes I do need a farm.
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Post by canadamike on Nov 3, 2008 0:13:12 GMT -5
OG why don't you come here to plant some, I have one ;D. I could use a slave |
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Post by Alan on Nov 3, 2008 16:43:15 GMT -5
Yacon is most definetley a plant worth growing. Very productive, no disease issues here, and absolutely delicious. We had very good luck with the crowns/plants we bought from seeds of change and nichol's garden nursery and the purple variety that Orflo sent. I prefer the purple myself, to me it had a distinct flavor which set it apart from the other variety.
Don't be afraid to try this gem out, it is really worth it.
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 4, 2008 17:23:30 GMT -5
Don't tempt me Mike, I am also interested in unusual / perennial grains (non wheat as my youngest is a celiac) which really I can't grow to any real extent though that doesn't stop me from buying some seed here and there and growing a plant or two. What must my neighbours think?
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