Topic: Oca harvest

[Eristic]

Finally the ground has dried out enough to start digging the oca. I have tried a number of different growing methods this year and while I still have about 60ft to dig up these pics show what I think will be the best results.



This method involved growing the plants on the top of a ridge and while this may look similar to earthed-up potatoes the tubers were simply dibbled into the top of the ridge. There are quite a few variables to eliminate next year before I decide that this is the best way of growing oca but there is one distinct advantage with ease of harvesting.

Anyone growing these will no doubt be aware of the punishment suffered digging the tubers out of wet mud only 1 or 2 degrees above freezing and it is so much easier to shove a fork through the base of the hill, give a quick shake then gather up the harvest.



The ridge was 10 ft long with tubers planted at 9 inch intervals and produced a total of 5.4 kilo of washed tubers. Planting stock was actually the leftovers after the main production had been planted in small starter pots so this harvest was more or less from the rubbish.

[Tin Shed]

I am very impressed, Eristic. I tried to grow them a couple of years ago and got very little, so haven't tried again.. and never got enough to eat - what are they like?

[saddad]

Very impressive Eristic, I have mine in the big greenhouse but may gfo and dig some up today... how long do you leave them in the light? About a week or longer?
 :-\

[gwynleg]

That is impressive. I have similar weight but the oca are much smaller. Definately the ones that I earthed up most did best in numbers but still small. We had an early frost that caught me out and although they struggled on - think it didnt help. I havent eaten any yet - havent got a sunny window sill to put them on.....

[gardentg44]

never seen this veg before.
what do you do whith it?
what does it taste like?

[saddad]

If you don't give it enough light, after harvesting, it is very sour and POISONOUS, quite the reverse of potatoes. Can be eaten raw. Quite crunchy makes a good waterchesnut substitute for Chinese cooking.
  :)

[Eristic]

Taste varies according to the variety and the method of cooking but the variety shown above when boiled and mashed resembled swede in colour and flavour but much sweeter. The red tubers when cooked the same way turned white and tasted similar to a potato but once again much sweeter. Last year after an initial tasting, the remainder had to be saved for growing stock so no further cooking methods were possible.

As for leaving them in the sun well "you havin a larf". All I've done is leave them on the enamel top work table to dry for a day or two before sorting them and storing them in the black grocers trays. Just leaving them exposed to natural light should be sufficient. I hope. :P

The pictures above show the success but I have had widely differing results across the entire crop with the worst producers being the ones that stayed in the polytunnel throughout the summer in large pots. Over all I think that these plants are tough and once we've overcome the shock of buying them they do not need so much cosseting. The frosting may even be essential to a good harvest. (No I havn't got the evidonce).

The best point to bear in mind is the fact that the plants remain small until mid August and can easily be interplanted with anything that will be harvested by that time. They require lots of space from Sept - Dec but nothing much is growing on the plot then anyway.

[tricia]

I planted some small tubers given to me by Saddad (if I remember correctly!) in a large tub and harvested 350g a couple of weeks ago before our first frost.

Tricia

[saddad]

Possibly, I certainly sent some out....  :-\

[Garjan]

Hi Eristic,
very impressive!
Mine were much smaller and greenish-yellow. I dug them up after the first frost, as I was afraid they would be killed off. Next year I will leave them a bit longer., but I doubt if they will turn this reddish colour of yours.
The taste was okay, but still a bit of sour could be tasted, although I did expose them to natural light. Perhaps another variety?
Thanks for all your advice.
Garjan

[saddad]

Bug**r I knew there was something else I was meant to do...
If you want a few red ones just PM me Garjan...
 ;D
Happy New Year.

[spinny]

Mine were much smaller and greenish-yellow.

There are several colours. I have white, pink and (thanks eristic) red. Always open to different coloured varieties as well.....

Spinny