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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: lottie lou on November 03, 2012, 15:37:58
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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.
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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 ?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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I heard my hero Bob Flowerdew say that you can make a healthy sweetner with syrup made from Yakon- have you tried this?
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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)
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sorry link not work for me.
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Whoops, try:
www.greenharvest.com.au
or google: yacon peruvian ground apple and you will find it there.
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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 :color:
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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'.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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. :happy7:
Another 6 weeks or so before the oca are ready. Looking forward to those too.
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Look forward to hearing how it works out ed dibbles - taste and side effects :happy7:
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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?
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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.
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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. :happy7:
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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.
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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.
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Sorry Marin I was just having a whinge. My current clumps are in damp compost in the greenhouse awaiting next spring.
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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.
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absolutely NO COMPARISON to the (related) jerusalem artichokes which can boost a pure carnivore into a low Earth orbit.
:icon_cheers:
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absolutely NO COMPARISON to the (related) jerusalem artichokes which can boost a pure carnivore into a low Earth orbit.
:icon_cheers:
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!
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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.
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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?
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So where do you all get your yacon from?
I am definitely going to give it a go next year :happy7:
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... 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
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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 :happy7: 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.
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Interesting learning curve isn't it, Galina. I'm moving mine to somewhere better too.
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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.
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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.
:icon_cheers:
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. :sunny:
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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
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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 :glasses9:
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Yacon replants can be tricky to store. They will rot if too wet, and will be killed by frost. Best kept cool but dryish, but some people get away with leaving them in the ground all winter. I store mine in almost dry spent compost in a box in a frost-free unheated shed.
On the other hand, oca tubers will survive all sorts of mistreatment, - even being left all winter in a centrally heated room.
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I have just been onto Wikipedia to find out what Yacon is. Next question - what do you do with them ? On our plots deer and badgers dig up Jerusalem artichoke plants and sometimes potatoes, to get at the tubers, do you have this problem with Yacon ?
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Second tasting experience:
Very different now. Yes they have become much sweeter. Melon? no - I would say they reminded me of a firm pear, slightly underripe. Or an Asian pear.
Like them.