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Post by orflo on Dec 2, 2009 13:12:37 GMT -5
Some varieties have yet to be harvested, a lot of the bigger tubers have been eaten by mice  , but still, it's not too bad, thanks to the very warm November month....And yes, I should have washed them more properly  but nothing is perfect (and nothing should be perfect i think)  |
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Post by stevil on Dec 2, 2009 16:26:28 GMT -5
A great family picture, Frank! I won't show my tiny ones - didn't get time to do the say shortening thing this year and it was a really cold September with an early frost and a couple of them just didn't grow.
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Post by mybighair on Dec 3, 2009 16:14:52 GMT -5
Should have been a good year for, just had the first hard frosts. However rats found my new raised Oca bed with it's nice loose compost and ate every tuber. The little Expletives excavated the entire bed leaving just a pillar of soil about two inches in diameter under each plant.
The really annoying thing is that I just managed to get a collection of 4 different varieties through trades last winter. I wanted the variety to try breeding, and while I obtain some seed this year, I'm back to having zero Oca tubers. I should be able to get two of the varieties easily enough but it's still frustrating.
Needless to say live and let live is out the window, I've declared all out war on rats.
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Post by hiven on Dec 4, 2009 9:45:44 GMT -5
They look great, Frank. Thanks for reminding me, I finally harvested my Ocas today.
There are still 1/3 in the ground ,but it was so cold and my hands were numb... tomorrow or so, I will dug up the rest of them.
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Post by atash on Dec 4, 2009 14:02:20 GMT -5
Nice variety, Frank. I only have 1 specimen. I harvested it a few days ago, worried about leaving it in the ground too long. I pulled the whole thing up, saw that the tubers are developing nicely, potted it, and put it in a cold frame. I don't have enough to eat, so I'm saving them for next year. I'm going to plant them among ornamental borders, near a rock garden with a lot of their ornamental cousins like Oxalis commosum, O. versicolor, O. brasiliensis, etc. The plants seem to tolerate at least mild frosts, and at my latitude, 47.5degrees, they are harvestable in November. No blossoms.  |
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Post by bunkie on Dec 5, 2009 14:09:43 GMT -5
great harvest frank! love the colors!
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Post by Alan on Dec 5, 2009 14:28:18 GMT -5
Should have been a good year for, just had the first hard frosts. However rats found my new raised Oca bed with it's nice loose compost and ate every tuber. The little Expletives excavated the entire bed leaving just a pillar of soil about two inches in diameter under each plant. The really annoying thing is that I just managed to get a collection of 4 different varieties through trades last winter. I wanted the variety to try breeding, and while I obtain some seed this year, I'm back to having zero Oca tubers. I should be able to get two of the varieties easily enough but it's still frustrating. Needless to say live and let live is out the window, I've declared all out war on rats. Wonderful photos Frank. Don't feel bad mybighair, I didn't even grow any this year because I lost all of mine to rodents last year, along with a good portion of my yacon. I really need to get some yacon starts again, I love that stuff and really missed it this year. |
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Post by mybighair on Dec 5, 2009 19:13:31 GMT -5
Hi Alan,
I got over being bummed about it. I may have some trades lined up for tubers and I have a few seed to play with so it's not all bad.
But we are going to miss the roast Oca at Christmas and I'm still going to get those rats.
It's funny how quickly you can get used to having something in your diet, and how much you miss it when it's not available. We've only been growing Oca for 4 or 5 years but it's already a Christmas tradition for us. Our boys love the stuff and at 3 & 4 have never known a Christmas without it on the table.
Still I have a cunning plan to protect it next season. I plan to empty the soil from the raised bed, and line the bottom with fine mesh to prevent rodents coming up from underneath, then build a cage on top to stop them getting in.
Just hope it works.
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Post by mjc on Dec 6, 2009 0:38:52 GMT -5
This is for the US folks...where does one find them for sale?
It seems the only source I can find is Nichols and they want $14/10 and $6/shipping...so $2/tuber.
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Post by plantsnobin on Dec 7, 2009 8:47:49 GMT -5
Nichols is where I got mine, then I lost the sack they were in and didn't find it until it was too late...
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Post by bunkie on Dec 7, 2009 10:04:48 GMT -5
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Post by ianpearson on Feb 25, 2010 14:13:13 GMT -5
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Post by spacecase0 on Feb 25, 2010 14:28:20 GMT -5
thank you for the update,
I ordered some to grow this summer,
and I am excited now.
I wonder how the harvesting works if it never really freezes...
I guess just pull one out when I need it...
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Post by ianpearson on Feb 25, 2010 14:37:48 GMT -5
If it never freezes - you lucky person!
The plants should die back (in an undramatic way) as the plant senses the shorter days. Then follow procedure for waiting before harvesting. However, I have no direct experience of growing in frost-free climates, so let us know how it goes.
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Post by robertb on Feb 25, 2010 15:55:40 GMT -5
I lost all the surface tubers from the white oca to hard frosts (for England - down to -7), but the red wasn't affected. A lot of plants produced nothing, but the original tubers were very small, and planted late. I planted again the day before yesterday, and I'm hoping for a better crop this year!
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, but still, it's not too bad, thanks to the very warm November month....And yes, I should have washed them more properly 
