Topic: Just lifted yacon

[pumkinlover]

Look forward to hearing how it works out ed dibbles - taste and side effects

[winecap]

Mine are still in the ground at the moment, but last nights frost caught all the leaves. Strangely the flowers seem to resist the frost. Some of the flowers have set seed, so I may try that next year, but the caudices definitely need to be frost free through the winter. Last time I grew it I buried them in the greenhouse over winter and the frost got in and finished them. This year they will be coming home and over wintering in the house. I'm also hoping to try making syrup. Does anybody know how much syrup you can get from how much yacon?

[goodlife]

Does anybody know how much syrup you can get from how much yacon?

I read from somewhere that you need 10 kg of tubers to make 250 ml of syryp...

edit to add...  James Wong book had the info and how to make it.

[ed dibbles]

Good life is right you need a lot of raw yacon to make syrup although obviously the amount required depends on how thick you want your syrup.

However any amount is cost effecive as an almost zero calorie sweetener, as a search for "buy yacon syrup" will attest.

I shall peel the liquidize the tubers pressing the pulp to extract the juice. (saving the pressed pulp for curries/baking - think carrot cake- etc.)

There is a diabetic at home so home made yacon syrup will provide sweetness without affecting the glysemic index as will the experimental stevia growing next year. 

[lottie lou]

Mine were starting to go a bit soft on the windowsill so I buried them in a pot of barely dampt compost.  Have I done right.  Tasted one, texture crisp - taste a bit melony but my daughter thought coconutty.

[martinburo]

If I had known a couple of years ago that they were perennials, I would have replanted my manky ones to try again.

If you're referring to the storage tubers, they won't regrow. At least, mine didn't. Only the middle clump will produce new sprouts. You can increase the number of plants by splitting the clump in spring. This year they have done better for me than last year (above ground at least, I haven't harvested yet). I suspect this is because it wasn't as cold in the unheated frost-free room where they overwinter, so this year they started showing in March and last year in May. So if it's a cold winter again I will give them some heat in March to get them going.

[lottie lou]

Sorry Marin I was just having a whinge.  My current clumps are in damp compost in the greenhouse awaiting next spring.

[Vinlander]

To summarise a few points (some old some new)

The things that look like jerusalem artichokes - knobbly whitish clusters or caudex - are next year's plants - don't eat them wherever you find them - save them like dahlia roots.

If you dig too late then whatever survives the hard frosts will be eaten by slugs.

The storage tubers for eating are smooth, greyish brown (almost black sometimes) and are generally below or to the side of the cluster of 'caudex'. Sometimes they are tangled up, sometimes some centimetres down or sideways. Similar shape to sweet potato - sometimes slimmer, sometimes fatter, sometimes MUCH bigger.

They NEVER sprout. I'm still eating last year's roots that are in the bottom of my fridge. I kept an eye on them and ate the few that started rotting first, but maybe 50% would have survived if I'd let them. After 12 months the old ones are only good as a substitute for water chestnut - most but not all the sweetness has gone.

I would say yacon is about as 'windy' as the same weight of baked beans - if you are used to 50%+ of your diet being veg you won't even notice - if you live on burgers and fast food you will get a mild surprise - absolutely NO COMPARISON to the (related) jerusalem artichokes which can boost a pure carnivore into a low Earth orbit.

Cheers.

[goodlife]

absolutely NO COMPARISON to the (related) jerusalem artichokes which can boost a pure carnivore into a low Earth orbit.

[pumkinlover]

absolutely NO COMPARISON to the (related) jerusalem artichokes which can boost a pure carnivore into a low Earth orbit.

Vinlander I have to say that ACE  has got competition- that has to be THE quote of the year, and it answers my question up thread succinctly!

[ed dibbles]

Made yacon syrup today. About 8 lbs of tubers peeled, chopped then whizzed to a pulp in the food processor. The juice squeezed out in a press then boiled and reduced to a very thick, sweet, sticky syrup almost like molasses. Tastes good too.

Some of it will be used to sweeten a cake tomorrow as a no calorie sugar substitute but it could be used in anything as a sugar/honey replacement.

Next time I will make it slightly runnier as it thickened considerably after it was taken off the heat.

The dried pulp (looks a little like desicated coconut) has been saved for use in curries/stirfries/baking etc.

Will definately be growing more next year.

[winecap]

Well, I lifted mine this week and I was quite pleased with about 7 kg from 3 plants, but looking at the yakon.co.uk website they claim to get 10kg from each plant. Just wondering how your yields compare. Now I have to decide whether to turn it all into syrup or wait til next year when I scale up. Does anybody know how best to store the syrup and how long it might last?

[carolinej]

So where do you all get your yacon from?

I am definitely going to give it a go next year

[Ian Pearson]

... quite pleased with about 7 kg from 3 plants, but looking at the yakon.co.uk website they claim to get 10kg from each plant. Just wondering how your yields compare....

It is possible to get 10 kg from each plant. Adequate spacing, deeply dug enriched soil, and a late frost date all help. I haven't lifted any of mine yet this year, but here's how I did two years ago:
http://oca-testbed.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/all-tuber-polyculture-mound.html

[galina]

It is possible to get 10 kg from each plant. Adequate spacing, deeply dug enriched soil, and a late frost date all help. I haven't lifted any of mine yet this year, but here's how I did two years ago:
http://oca-testbed.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/all-tuber-polyculture-mound.html

No I didn't get as much either.  And have learned where not to plant them.  I put them next to Jerusalem Artichoke 'Garnet' and the JAs are much bigger and slightly overwhelmed and overshadowed the yakon.  When it came to harvesting, both tubers were red!  However they were easy to tell apart by their shape fortunately.  Next year, they get planted in much more sunshine and on their own.

Good news, the caudices are easy to spot.  One of the smaller tubers broke in half and I enjoyed eating it.  Not as sweet as I expected, somewhat appley/radishy - an acquired taste, but one I can happily acquire    The after effects were hardly noticeable!

Some of the tubers are small and spindly, but some are very large, especially those growing the other side of the JAs.

All in all, I will happily grow them again.  And, as everybody says, if they get sweeter in storage, they will be even better in a while.  Thanks for all advice.

[lottie lou]

Interesting learning curve isn't it, Galina.  I'm moving mine to somewhere better too.

[winecap]

Nearly 2 weeks since I lifted mine and I just tasted it again. I've ended up eating about half a pound as its now really sweet, almost like melon.

[goodlife]

Nearly 2 weeks since I lifted mine and I just tasted it again. I've ended up eating about half a pound as its now really sweet, almost like melon.

Well..I'll be 'tucking in' for my yacon later on today...its been 'resting' and before the proper frosts do any damage, the crop and the next years 'starters' need moving into sheltered place. I had several HUGE tubers on one plant..but not quite the amount that could have been achieved. Even I did provide good place with lots of added 'good stuff', I suspect the amount of rain just was bit too much and lot of nutrients were washed away. But, I musn't complain...I'm pleased what I have.

[irridium]

how do you propagate from these? i've a friend who's got them this year and would like to know whether he just uses the caudices or with some of the yacon attached? do they store well like oca where mine have been in the fridge till the new season starts? thanks

[goodlife]

he just uses the caudices

...that's it, those are the growing point and used for generate new plants in following year

do they store well like oca

I'll let somebody else to answer that...once I 'tuck in', they don't last long until they are eaten