Yacon (forum)

Eve starts with ...
Hi, I want to purchase some Yacon tubers but not sure how many to buy? Is one enough to get you going? Or should you buy a few. We are a family of four. Thanks.

Time: 17th September 2008 1:59pm

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Anonymous says...
Have you tasted Yacon ? they are just awful. The very thought makes me want to yacon up.

Time: 18th September 2008 1:52pm

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Anonymous says...
not a helpful reply at all. You're better off saying nothing so someone else with constructive advice might read the post. Rob

Time: 18th September 2008 2:22pm

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Kath says...
Eve I think yacons are lovely, the name apple of the earth describes them perfectly, they are crisp like an apple, not quite as juicy, a little bit more like a raw potato in texture but sweeter and not so floury. In Canberra I would start with one, try it to see how well it grows and how much you like it Eve as you can see our taste buds all have different likes and dislikes. They are fabulous in stir fries as they keep their crunch, like a water chestnut. They are deciduous and you will harvest them in the winter once the plant dies back. They are related to sunflowers.

Time: 18th September 2008 3:57pm

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Anonymous says...
Thanks anon. ,a former milk monitor , if I'm not mistaken. Sadly descriptions of fruit are often misleading; everything is a priori "delicious". (yes, yacon is not a fruit) If someone were to have told me I would not have wasted time with velvet apple, mountain paw paw.


Time: 19th September 2008 6:46am

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Eve says...
Thanks Kath. I have not tried Yacon but it sounded like something worth pursuing - I love apples. It is possible I may have eaten Yacon while I was travelling through New Zealand (in a lamb/salad dish). At first I thought it was some sort of sweet potato but it may have been Yacon or a type of yam like oca. I think I will go with your advice and try one to start with.

Time: 24th September 2008 7:25pm

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Eve says...
A follow up, I ended up purchasing three plants from Daleys. As you can see from the pics they are green and luscious - can't wait until they die down to try them.

A quick query. Are Yacons similar to Jerusalem Artichokes in that once you plant them in a spot they are there to stay or can you harvest the small tubers to plant elswhere. If so, should crop rotation be practised or is it okay to keep going in the same spot.

Thanks.
Eve
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Time: 18th April 2009 2:14pm

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John I says...
I tried my first taste of a small yacon tuber that I foraged from near the ground surface. First impressions... crisp with a sweet mild carrot flavour. My kids tried it and they also said that it tastes like a carrot.

Time: 17th March 2010 12:18pm

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Violet_Cactus says...
Thanks for that information, John!
My yacon plant is pretty big because I have never harvested it. Now that I know what it tastes like I might dig up a piece.

From the Internet:
Easy to grow and store, high-yielding, supernutritious and crunchy like an apple, yacon (pronounced ya-kon) is one of the many

Time: 17th March 2010 9:20pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
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John I says...
Violet_Cactus, I read recently that by "bandicooting" some of the tubers closer to the surface, it stimulates the plant into producing more tubers.

Also thanks for the links, lots of useful info. If you come across anything relating to making Yacon tea, please let me know.

Time: 18th March 2010 10:16am

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Violet_Cactus says...
John, I have never heard the term 'bandicooting' before but it's a really good one!

There's a lot on the Net about the medicinal effects of Yacon Tea and Yacon Leaf. Research documented on 'Google Scholar' claims that Yacon really does help with diabetes and weight loss: http://www.bisac.com.pe/informacion/yacon/tema14.pdf

I have made tea with quite a few different herbs including pineapple sage, chocolate mint and tea jasmine flowers. I would imagine that Yacon Tea is made the same way - just by steeping the fresh leaves in hot water for several minutes then straining the liquid before drinking.

Not meaning to bombard the forum with information, but I found the following Yacon info very interesting, even though not necessarily backed up by scientific research. It also contains a recipe for Yacon Tea.

"There is now a new root crop that goes by the unusual name yacon. Recognized as a health food, it is also known as the apple of the earth because although it is grown underground like any other root crop, its fruit resembles an apple or a pear. Also, unlike regular root crops whose carbohydrate content eventually turns to starch, then sugar, when ingested, the yacon stores carbohydrates in the form of inulin and not starch. High in inulin, it serves as a sucrose-free food for diabetics."

"The yacon is also low in calories, thus making it a good, nutritious diet food. While a sweet potato contains 125 calories, a potato 77 calories and a taro 60 calories per 100grams, the yacon has only 54 calories. It contains carbohydrates (Fructo-Oligo-Saccharides)which pass through the digestive tract unmetabolized, so that it is perfect for those who suffer from obesity. Add to this the fact that the yacon purifies the blood and its high-fiber content assists in digestion."

"Yacon tubers are irregularly spindle to round and can vary considerably in shape, size and sweetness.

NUTRITIOUS FOOD

The yacon, which is a member of the sunflower family, is grown primarily for its edible roots. While it looks like sweet potatoes or yam on the outside with its brownish, sandy skin, inside, the yacon looks more like a juicy fruit such as the apple and the pear. Just peel off the skin, wash it, slice it up into pieces, and eat it raw. It feels just like a pear or an apple to the bite, with a crunch accompanying small bursts of juice.

The yacon can also be boiled or sauteed in oil. Having all the characteristics of a health food that aids in the maintenance of good health, the yacon contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, Vitamins A, B1, B2 and C, phosphorus, niacin, iron, carotene, protein, lipids, cellulose, glucide and fiber.

MEDICINAL VALUES

More than just being a valuable health food, the yacon has also been discovered to have medicinal values. The tuber can be used as medicine. Simply preserve it for 10 days so that it reaches its full level of sweetness, and then peel it, slice into thin cuts and eat it raw. Its leaves also have medicinal properties. Dry the leaves naturally in the shade, then cut into suitable sizes and boil in water to make a cleansing tea. The recommended daily intake of the yacon tea is 2 cups daily. Because the inulin content of the yacon is 60 to 70%, it helps control the blood glucose and keep it at a normal level. So those who are eating the tuber will notice initial results within 7 to 10 days, while those who drink its tea can expect initial health benefits in as short as 4 to 5 days. Above all else, the yacon is delicious!"




Time: 19th March 2010 12:28am

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Rose says...
hi there im rose im selling yacon tea for those interested please contact my ym kasuhi_01.. its open for reseller. thnx

Time: 9th November 2010 3:30pm

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About the Author Rose6
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snottiegobble says...
Yacon grow readily in Victoria & being deciduous dont really suffer from frost damage. When harvesting its easy to tell the "eaters" from the "replanter" tubers. The ones for food are big smooth skinned like spuds( sometimes bigger)while the ones for propagating are smaller,have a reddish tinge, usually some roots & a hint of new growth buds on top.
The edible ones quite often split their skins while in the ground so you may see a few "highways" on their surface.
Attractive foliage, & sometimes small yellow daisy flowers make this plant an unusual addition to any garden!


Time: 11th November 2010 3:10am

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CARLES says...
Deseo comprar cepas o coronas de yacon para plantar,quien me los
puede suministrar
GRACIAS

Time: 21st February 2011 11:56pm

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Jim says...
Lo siento Carles esta tienda s

Time: 22nd February 2011 2:27am

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Dwain says...
I have a Yacon plant and I am not really sure if I should harvest the tubes as the leaves have not completely died back (there is still a bit of greenery, especially at the base of the plant).

Does anyone know when the ideal time would be to harvest it?

Cheers




Time: 28th June 2012 8:02pm

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About the Author Harry
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Normally best to harvest is as it flowers which is generally in autumn. You might have missed its peak harvest time but I imagine the tubers should still be ok to dig up.

Time: 28th June 2012 8:07pm

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John Mc says...
Thanks for that Phil, I wasn't quite sure when the best time was to havest either. I've been leaving it a bit late as well. As a matter of fact, they're all still growing. I'd better get some stir fries happening.

Time: 28th June 2012 9:45pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
k - they're nice raw as well, like a very juicy, sweet carrot

Time: 29th June 2012 9:32am

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John Mc says...
My taste for them raw needs to be acquired somewhat. A little piece is OK.

Time: 29th June 2012 6:01pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
And the longer tubers taste different to the rounded ones on the same plant in my experience. I use the rounded ones for next years crop and eat the dahlia shaped tubers.

Time: 29th June 2012 11:09pm

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Dwain says...
Thanks for the info Phil.

I just harvested it today. Having tried it for the first time, I would describe the flavor as sort of being between an apple and a melon.

I was actually expecting it to be sweet. I think I will have to leave it in storage for a while to sweeten up.



Time: 30th June 2012 1:59am

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
I baked one for the first time a while back, threw it in with the roast among the potatoes. It added a sweet, unexpected flavour to the meal, not something I would write home about - still like 'em raw, just picked. Having said that, I didn't replant many this year as they can take up room for more productive crops - more novelty value in my opinion. I tried to grow it when I lived in Woodend (Vic) and it never even ventured above the ground.

Time: 30th June 2012 9:36am

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Dwain says...
Does anyone know if my Yacon plant is ready to be harvested? Or should I wait for the cains to die back completely?

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Time: 24th June 2013 11:51am

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John Mc says...
They look a tad on the small side Dwain, but if you can't wait, carefully pull it out of the pot, it should all come out together, and bandicoot for the roundish, brownish, smoothish tubers, not the redish pointy ones like you originally planted. Then put it all back in the pot intact to grow on.

Time: 24th June 2013 12:46pm

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Dwain says...
John, the last time I harvested it, it was around this time of year. I found that the tubers were small and lacking in sweetness. I also left it in storage for a month but it did not make a difference.

Your right, the plant is small and the top part is still green

Time: 25th June 2013 5:28pm

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denise1 says...
Harvest time is when the tubers are around 7cms in diameter, but if they are left too long they will crack, become hollow, darken in colour,go pithy and are horrible to eat. If they are at their maximum size they will last much shorter in storage and can split in no time at all. They can also be propagated from sideshoots, seeds, or eyes. I wonder if storage in sawdust will help the roots to last longer.

Time: 25th June 2013 7:57pm

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rowan says...
My goodness, I grow lots of yacon for the local markets and there is so much wrong information on this thread.
Yacon should be harvested when it dies down after frost and has to be stored for a week or more, preferably in the open air before it sweetens which is why some of you have a poor idea of the taste. Here is a link to a document I wrote for home growers:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5bHrqc0MiOQUC1aNVdGS2M3Nms/edit?usp=sharing

Time: 27th June 2013 7:08am

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denise1 says...
Where I am they dont die down in the winter and can need leaving until late spring to finish swelling. This happens because we dont have quite the heat they need in the planting site to fit the growing season in. Where conditions and planting times vary then the harvest time will vary. The best sites are reserved for tropical fruit plants such as star fruit, papaya , wax jambu, mango and pepinos- all doing very well.

Time: 27th June 2013 8:07am

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rowan says...
Sorry, forgot to consider places without frost.


Time: 27th June 2013 8:28am

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Dwain says...
Just a follow-up, I ended up harvesting my yacon today. As you can see from the pic, some of the tubers are cracked / undersized.

I know the soil in the pot dried out a few times during summer so I am not sure if this is the reason for this. As some of the tubers are premature I don
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Time: 28th June 2013 4:00pm

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denise1 says...
Yacon tubers are notorious for cracking after harvest which means they have to be used quickly. I wonder if they would avoid cracking if stored in straw or sawdust in a cool place. Any other ideas?.

Time: 29th June 2013 7:25am

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Ducky says...
Resurrecting an old thread but does anyone know whens the best time to divide and plant out yacon?

I've recently harvest my first yacon plant and it was a hit with the family. Currently have the crown sitting in a cardboard basket and some coco coir.

Still haven't worked out how to break the crown up yet too afraid I"m going to kill it.

Time: 29th June 2015 10:45pm

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Linton says...
Hi Ducky

Yacons have two types of tubers. There's the big brown ones that you eat and then there's the small growing points directly under the crown which you use for growing. You should separate them now while it's cold and store them until it's warmer in Spring when they will readily sprout.

There's a video about separating Yacons here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrBvwPYpTY8

It goes for about 15 minutes and it should answer all your questions.

Time: 30th June 2015 8:31pm

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About the Author Linton
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Harry says...
As Linton mentioned, the small red tubers are used for growing.

You don

Time: 1st July 2015 2:02am

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denise1 says...
I have found that putting the crowns back into the cold wet winter earth often leads to rot. Better to airdry them to seal the cut and store them in sawdust or chaff until warmer weather arrives. If your winter is more mild you could get away with planting now.

Time: 1st July 2015 7:38am

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Ducky says...
Thanks everyone. I've separated the crown in half and will be planting half and storing the other half until spring to see which works best for my area.

Time: 1st July 2015 4:48pm

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Granpa says...
Hi all, I live in Busselton WA and have tried everywhere for the Yacon plant, even Bunnings cannot get it, although they did try from their supplier.

Does anyone know where I can purchase a tuber or have a plant that I can pinch one? Bearing in mind that WA has very strict rules on importation of fruit, vegetables and plants into the State.


Time: 1st September 2015 3:51pm

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Kazino says...
Hello, I was wanting to try and grow yacon and was wondering if anyone has any to spare who live in the Toowoomba area? Thanks Kaz

Time: 16th October 2018 4:31pm

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