Topic: Just lifted yacon

[lottie lou]

Bought yacon caudices this year and have just lifted the plants.  Had some nice looking tubers although my lifting skills leaves a lot to be desired as I broke/forked some.  However the new caudices are supposed to be at the base of the stem and I couldn't find them.  I have trimmed off the roots and stems and bunged the old piece into a bucket of compost in the hope that it will grow next year.

[Uncle Ted]

Hi Lottie Lou, I was just wondering; mine are still going strong although a little frosted round the edges, have yours all died back or have you harvested them any way ?

[lottie lou]

Mine were frosted and more or less dying back so I lifted them.  Did not want a repeat of a few years ago when we had the awful winter and I couldn't lift them till the ground thawed out to find the tubers were absolutely alive with black horrible slugs.  Couldn't find any caudices either but I must admit I didn't look too closely.  From what I have read yacon is a perennial and similar to jerusalem artichokes so I am just hoping that it will grow again from the stump.  Nothing to lose anyway.

[lottie lou]

Whoops, just had another look at Yakon.co.uk site and they say lift 2 or 3 weeks after frost cust down foliage and before heaving frosts get to the ground.

[galina]

Whoops, just had another look at Yakon.co.uk site and they say lift 2 or 3 weeks after frost cust down foliage and before heaving frosts get to the ground.

Lottie Lou, was it you who posted a picture of flowering yakon a little while ago?  Sorry can't remember.  Mine hasn't flowered yet and the plants are now under fleece, but the top leaves are looking a bit reddish and not very healthy.  I am keeping them for as long as possible outside under fleece.   Not sure what to do and when to dig them up and how to protect them.  Should I plant them into the greenhouse after the tops have finally frosted off, when the fleece can't protect them because it is too cold?  I would appreciate any comments from you or any other yakon grower.

[lottie lou]

Not me, I am useless at doing photos.

I can't remember mine ever flowering at all but the tubers are quite a decent size, at least to my mind.  www.yakon.co.uk website says lift 2 - 3 weeks after foliage cut down by frost but I'm not trusting the weater forecasters at the mo.  The tubers look a bit like sweet potato but not as fat.  Be careful when you lift them as the tubers break easily.  Look for the caudices at the base of the stem.  I couldn't find any so I am just hoping that if I bung the stump in next yeear, it'll grow.  Have read that they are part of the sunflower family like jerusalem artichokes and are perennial if that is any help.    Have washed the tubers and left them in greenhouse to sweeten up in the sun, I hope.

[galina]

Thank you Lottie Lou.  Have also emailed Paul from Yakon.uk (where I bought mine) and waiting for his advice.  Perennial is good news.  Thank you for the warning regarding their brittle roots.  I need to take great care because our soil is very heavy and wet at the moment.  Can't wait for a taste.

[pumkinlover]

I heard my hero Bob Flowerdew say that you can make a healthy sweetner with syrup made from Yakon- have you  tried this?

[lottie lou]

I have also emailed Paul (bought mine from him also).  If I had known a couple of years ago that they were perennials, I would have replanted my manky ones to try again.Got info on www.greenharvest.co.au/Plants/Information/Yacon.html (hope link works)

[pumkinlover]

sorry link not work for me.

[lottie lou]

Whoops, try:

www.greenharvest.com.au

or google: yacon peruvian ground apple and you will find it there.

[pumkinlover]

Thanks Lottielou,
I wonder if it has the same effect that Jerusalem artichokes  have as it too contains inulin which is responsible for the windy effects 

[goodlife]

I think the photo that was mentioned was mine...and it did produce quite few flowers this year.
I haven't lifted mine up yet..the plant stems are frosted but still partially green so its too early for them yet.
From my previous lifting attempts I've leaned now my lesson and as I plant the in spring..instead of burying the plants deep...I plant them in small mounds of compost and keep earthing them up with compost and soil as the season goes on..when it comes lifting the soil/compost mix makes the job much lighter and less there less casualties too. You also have to start loosening the soil quite far from the crown too to 'feel' you way in into the 'hot spot'.

[lottie lou]

Thanks for that advice Goodlife.  To be honest I was thinking about that method myself.  Only lifted mine as I didn't trust the weather after what happened the last time (I admit it was a freak winter but....).  Received a reply from Paul at Yakon and he agrees with my plonking the clump in a bucket of damp compost and says that the caudices will be there when the plant starts growing again.

[galina]

Thanks for that advice Goodlife.  To be honest I was thinking about that method myself.  Only lifted mine as I didn't trust the weather after what happened the last time (I admit it was a freak winter but....).  Received a reply from Paul at Yakon and he agrees with my plonking the clump in a bucket of damp compost and says that the caudices will be there when the plant starts growing again.

Yes, they were your flowers goodlife.  And thank you for your lifting experience.  I also had a reply from Paul.  He said:   Yakon is perennial if kept frost-free.  We should harvest the crops before frost penetrate the soil and he said that there would be caudices irrespective of flowering, which was very late this year at his place due to awful weather.  He also suggested to dig very deep down in order not to miss half the tubers.  They are harvesting next weekend as they had a light frost last week that killed their leaves.  He also said that yakon is much easier to grow than sweet potatoes and should be fine for the UK as it does not need the heat that sweet potatoes need.  Very reassuring and also your messages.  Thank you.

   

[Jayb]

The tubers can be huge and I agree you need to be careful when harvesting, they can split easily. Best to use any damaged ones soon as they don't really keep. I've always found the tubers or rood mass stores really well as long as frost free and in just damp compost. The roots should be left whole and you can snap off an eating tuber as needed. Next years growth will come from the smaller knobbly bits at the top of the root mass. I usually separate some in the spring and plant up individually in pots to grow on before planting out.

Both pictures taken mid October last year. Some of the darker coloured eating roots not well covered and visible, also some pinky red growing tips sprouting. Flowers although small are pretty I think, very similar to artichokes. None of mine have flowered this year.

[raisedbedted]

All makes interesting reading, I lifted mine last week and found they had some huge tubers, like sweet potatoes and a clump of purplish growth buds towards the top of the tubers/base of stem.  So I've put this part into some damp compost to overwinter.

However I have to say I chopped off a bit of tuber and ate it and it was HORRIBLE, sort of like a bitter thin radish flavour.  Does the flavour change much by storing for a few weeks?  Does everyone eat it raw or do you cook with it?

[galina]

Thank you for the advice and photos Jayb.  Need to explore what goes on at the base of mine carefully.  I planted mine next to the Jerusalem Artichokes (Red Garnet - happy to share if anybody wants a few tubers), as they are related.  I had a few flowers on the JAs this year.  Feeling much more confident now and can't wait to taste them in winter salads.

[goodlife]

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However I have to say I chopped off a bit of tuber and ate it and it was HORRIBLE, sort of like a bitter thin radish flavour.

Oh dear...well..if you have another taste in few weeks time..and you might find the flavour totally different.    I hope.

[ed dibbles]

Mine were dug last week with a decent enough crop considering the poor summer. They are now drying off for a few weeks to sweeten up in preparation for a first yacon syrup making trial.

Had a taste of one the other day and the peeled flesh tasted exactly of the crisp apple/melon flavour attributed to them. Nice.

I read that they don't have the unfortunate artichoke side effect but time will tell.

There are some useful propagules of various sizes that I shall store on the underground stalks in slightly moist compost until bringing them into growth again in the spring. They will get planted on the most fertile of the three half plots next year as with better soil, and weather hopefully, the crop could be brilliant.

Another 6 weeks or so before the oca are ready. Looking forward to those too.