Yakon Question.

[growmore]

I was sent a couple of Yakon what I presumed to be small tubers earlier this year. I grew them in pots then set them out in the lotty. They seem  to have grown really well . What I was wondering has anyone grown these before? .. I am led to believe that when they are dug up, underneath are going to be pink rhizomes which we save to grow next year and white tubers that are for eating ..
Can anyone clarify this please..

[growmore]

[Eristic]

I'm growing them for the first time this year as well.

You are correct regarding the two different types of tuber. Basically, the ring of small tubers at the crown of the plant are inedible but will grow on for next year. The larger storage tubers are just that, storage tubers that cannot produce any new shoots so may as well be eaten.

The one plant I kept in a tub in the polytunnel is just beginning to flower.

[thifasmom]

OK you guys have peaked my interest, so its 20 questions time ;).

• where to get tubers for planting?
• when to sow?

• how much space needs to be allocated per plant?
• whats the approx yield per plant?

• can they be grown in containers?
• when do you harvest the crop?

• how do you store the harvested crop or can they overwinter in situ to be taken when needed?

that'll do for now, thanks in advance for your replies. :)

[littlebabybird]

ditto everything thifasmom said plus are you growing anything else strange?

lbb

[Mushy Pea]

Hi Folks,

I know this is going to be a daft question but what is a Yakon?  ???

MP

[Mushy Pea]

Hi Folks,

My initial search kept throwing up Yukon but I've now found this link.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060927205949AAF3C3D

MP  ;D

[jennym]

I'm growing yakon this year, just as an experiment, though the plants don't seem to be as big as I'd expected, they look healthy enough and am looking forward to tasting the tubers if I can work out which is which  ;D

[Eristic]

are you growing anything else strange?

You don't know me very well do you? Have a look at this web page to see this years wacky veggies. http://downtheplot.com/new_this_year.php
The page is just a scrapbook of the odds as they grow. There is also dedicated pages for Sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, oca and ulluco on the site.

[littlebabybird]

are you growing anything else strange?

You don't know me very well do you? Have a look at this web page to see this years wacky veggies. http://downtheplot.com/new_this_year.php
The page is just a scrapbook of the odds as they grow. There is also dedicated pages for Sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, oca and ulluco on the site.

awesome
lbb

ps
you have a sash type thing like one of mine, what is it
white flower, furry courgette type thing
lbb

[thifasmom]

are you growing anything else strange?

You don't know me very well do you? Have a look at this web page to see this years wacky veggies. http://downtheplot.com/new_this_year.php
The page is just a scrapbook of the odds as they grow. There is also dedicated pages for Sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, oca and ulluco on the site.

WAOW!! :o cool site and cool veges some i thought of trying others I've never heard of, i have bookmarked your site to come back and browse at my leisure.

i thought of growing Scorzonera got as far as sowing the seed with 100% germination, then dilly dallied to long to transplant them so they got stunted and i composted them :-[. do you think i could grow in a container, this is the reason i was himmimg and hawing, i read that the roots bleed if you damaged them when harvesting and was wondering whether it would be better to grow in container, as it would be easier to just tip it out ???.

next year i am definately growing okra i miss eating these, i've already cleared my greenhouse in preperation for them :-\ :).

i've got a bed allocated for seakale which i plan to grow as a perinneal. just need to source plants/ seeds for next year.

would like to also try sweet potatoe and quinoa as we love eating these and it would be nice to grow our own, all be it a small amount.

i really want to grow more root veges for storing as i would like to add more variety to our diet in the starch department, my family really miss the availabilty of tropical root veges, but don't mind trying new ones ;).

anyway thats enough from me for now i'm off to look at your site some more. :)

[Eristic]

you have a sash type thing like one of mine, what is it
white flower, furry courgette type thing

Depends where you are looking but is probably the dhudi, an Indian essential. Used in all manner of ways from curry to sweets but don't ask me how.

[thifasmom]

Just bumping this up to get answers to questions asked in the thread, thanks in advance for the replies :).

[littlebabybird]

thifasmom
do you want seakale thongs or seed?
marshals have the thongs they are £10 ish for 5
seeds i'm going to get from victoriana, unless eristic tells me otherwise
there are 20 seeds in the pack, i'd be happy to share with you

lbb

[Amazin]

Thifasmon, Yukon is available from Real Seeds:

http://www.realseeds.co.uk

I think both Growmore and Eristic mentioned this is their first season, but the website has the advice you're looking for.

[thifasmom]

thifasmom
do you want seakale thongs or seed?
marshals have the thongs they are £10 ish for 5
seeds i'm going to get from victoriana, unless eristic tells me otherwise
there are 20 seeds in the pack, i'd be happy to share with you

lbb

hi littlebabybird :),
i'm not sure how i want to start the seakale, i only have space for approx three plants so if i buy thongs I'll have to give away some, i was going to wait till the swap came my way to see if there were seeds then make my finale decision.  if you are getting seeds i don't mind doing a swap, but not sure if i have anything fancy. I'll pm you.

Thifasmon, Yukon is available from Real Seeds:

http://www.realseeds.co.uk

I think both Growmore and Eristic mentioned this is their first season, but the website has the advice you're looking for.

thanks Amazin i missed the realseeds bit, I'll check it out.

[thifasmom]

Thifasmon, Yukon is available from Real Seeds:

http://www.realseeds.co.uk

I think both Growmore and Eristic mentioned this is their first season, but the website has the advice you're looking for.

thanks Amazin i missed the realseeds bit, I'll check it out.

ok so i checked out realseeds and Eristic sites but still have a couple of unanswered questions re: yakon, so i have ammended my list of questions...

• how much space needs to be allocated per plant?
• whats the approx yield per plant?

• can they be grown in containers?

• how do you store the harvested crop or can they overwinter in situ to be taken when needed?

that'll do for now, thanks in advance for your replies. :)