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Post by rowan on Apr 7, 2014 1:58:51 GMT -5
Don't worry Mickey, there is no debate, just friendly conversation. I will have to look for these larger chufa.  |
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Post by rowan on Nov 12, 2014 3:51:28 GMT -5
Just a quick update. Although it is said that chufa don't overwinter, that is not for those with mild winters like me. Here is a picture of them coming up all through my kale that I planted in that bed.  Looks like I will just keep planting them in the same two beds so they don't become a pest. |
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 12, 2014 9:49:32 GMT -5
I'm in love with chufa too as a potential flour/vegetable crop. I also love horchata.
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 12, 2014 9:50:04 GMT -5
Do you know what variety you have? Mine are frost tender.
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Post by orflo on Nov 12, 2014 13:02:04 GMT -5
Be careful that you don't grow the wild cyperus esculentus, it can be very invasive, and is already a noxious weed in some parts of middle-Europe. I have a round one, that's a bit bigger than the 'ordinary' flat one, but the production is less high, so, all in all, I get about the same amount (or even still a bit more from that flatter one) from the two. The bigger ones I've tried, from Africa, all turned out to be very unproductive, their size was up to 3 cms but their production was at the most 5 tubers each plant, so these weren't worth growing here.
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 12, 2014 13:18:13 GMT -5
Good to know orflo. Maybe I should stick with the variety I have then that has decent enough yields.
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Post by kyredneck on Nov 16, 2014 12:08:34 GMT -5
Interesting:
"Use as fishing bait
The boiled nuts are used in the UK as a bait for carp, and have a reputation for success. The nuts have to be prepared in a prescribed manner to prevent harm to the fish. The nuts are soaked in water for 24 hours and then boiled for 20 minutes or longer until fully expanded. Some anglers then leave the boiled nuts to ferment for 24–48 hours, which can enhance their effectiveness. If the nuts are not properly prepared, however, they can be extremely toxic to the carp. This was originally thought to have been the cause of death of Benson, a very large and very famous carp. The 54-lb. fish was found floating dead in a fishing lake, with a bag of unprepared tiger nuts lying nearby, empty, on the shore. An examination of the fish by a taxidermist concluded tiger nut poisoning was not, in the end, the cause of death.[24]" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyperus_esculentus
As a trot liner who has targeted both buffalo suckers and carp (with great success I might add) from the river, I can attest to the effectiveness of fermented grains/cottonseed based bait. Carp prefer fermented corn, suckers like cottonseed meal and sorghum. I suspect that a fermented chufa tuber would stay on the hook very well, which is a significant factor to consider for any fishing bait.
I really like the taste of chufa, it's quite plentiful around here, I've never found any large nuts though, so it takes some effort to get a mouthful of them.
[add]
Wow, rowan, your photos did not open up for me at first but now I see them, those are some handfuls of tubers! Nothing like these little wild things that grow around here. I'm impressed.
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Post by Tiirsys on Nov 19, 2014 19:48:47 GMT -5
I grew Chufa for the for the first time this year as well. My neglected plants produced a bit of chufa's, but none worth eating. I found it to be quite forgiving in the amount of water it got at least...
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