I replanted my yacon after overwintering the crown in the garage (and later basement once the garage started to freeze in January) and then woke it from dormancy by bringing it into my grow room at room temperature on April 1, that way by late May it was a nice large plant to transplant, with a dozen 12-18" stalks growing out of their 3 gal containers. After growing it again for the second season, I got 20lbs of tubers and an almost 10lb crown on top of that. The crown broke apart into many small parts so I can grow several plants from it next year. I'm in Ontario Zone 5a, so similar climate to Wisconsin. You definitely get much bigger yields if you overwinter a large crown rather than just a small plant growing from a single rhyzome. So far I haven't had much success storing them in my root cellar. I think I'll just store the tubers the same as the crown, in a pot or bucket at cool temperatures, filled with relatively dry (slightly damp) soil, sand or peat moss, at around 35-55F.
I've grown them for a couple of years in various containers in NJ. I like that they have inulin instead of a lot of sugar (great for diabetics) and you can eat them raw as well as cooked. The leaves look pretty cool too.
I know this is a dated video but extremely helpful in how we plan to store the crowns over the Winter of 2024 to replant in Spring 2025 in Washington, DC, Zone 7. Thank you.
Great idea on using the plastic. It says they need 6-8 months to grow. Planting can be staggered to allow for continuous use. Suggestion- why not use a thicker layer of compost further out around the plant in order to maintain the soil warm and help the roots to spread out further.
Thank you for watching and the suggestion. This was the 1st year for us growing them. In past years we have found they have done much better we plant them end of May and frost kills them in mid oct and they have ground very good in our zone 5 a garden
Awesome video, very encouraging, thank you! I planted yacon this year, but way late, so my harvest was small. I did end up with plenty of starters for next spring, though! Love the idea of the open-topped "mini greenhouse". I'll try it on my ginger next year too! Sadly, Nichols Nursery went out of business.... BUT, these are still available through another local (Corvallis, Oregon) family business called "Peace Seedlings." They specialize in exotic Andean tubers and other really interesting plants :)
Growing Yacon for the first time here in France. The plants are a good size - just waiting until the first frosts, which are hopefully still a ways off. I was curious how to store the rhizome and your video was very helpful, thank you.
Thank you for watching we take and store the rhizomes in a bucket of sand it does not have to be wet it can be dry and we will pack as many root systems in the bucket as we can then pore sand around then until the bucket is full and the rhizomes are fully covered. we put that bucked in the stair of our attic where is will it will stay just above freezing and keep them dormant until sting. If you only have a few rhizomes you can put them in a smaller container and in sand keeping them in the back and bottom on the refrigerator
@@WisVeggieGardeners I saw the video was from 2016, so I was wondering how you've gotten on since, and if you'd changed any of your practices. It's good to know you can pack them all into a single bucket of dry sand over winter. I will give that a try, and will make sure they do not freeze. I bought 5 yacons - gave one to the neighbour who also grows vegetables as these plants aren't readily available here and she has greener fingers than I do (a sort of insurance policy should I have killed mine!) One went in the polytunnel and got an early start in the year, and the other three are doing pretty well outdoors. Can't wait to try it.
What's your best harvest been like? I'm in a similar climate (Ontario Zone 5), May 15/Oct 10 average last/first frost. Last year was a failure due to being in a spot where they didn't get enough sun, but this year I got 10-12lbs per plant with 1-2 lb crowns.
Wow that is good amount per plant we plant keep them watered and that is it we have had a good as 5 lbs per plant other years 2 to 3. I am yet to harvest this year's
@@timebythetent3594 Yeah, all I did was water a bit too, along with amending a lot of compost into the soil and mulching with fairly degraded woodchips. They didn't need much watering either, mostly in June, since July and August were wet, and later in fall evapotranspiration rates drop.
No they will not in the northern climates they will rot in the ground that is why we save the rhizomes in sand over Winter indoors in order to start them in the Spring in warmer climate such a South America they can harvest the roots and then through the rhizomes in the ground again to regrow because there is no cold winters
No the fruit doesn't contain and seeds the rhizomes are the only way to grow a mew plant . You can sock them in water for a half hour to a hour to help them out
This is freaky unreal! I planted two yacon and to protect them from squirrels wrapped a tomato cage with row cover but left the top open. One plant I took off the cage and cover the other I never got around to it. The one with the cover is around 4 foot high and the uncovered one is about 18 inches. I thought it was just the soil difference. Unbelievable! Definitely planning on doing the opened sheltered cage next year. Thank you so much for this video.
No the only way you can propagate Yacons in by the rhizomes you can save them in the fall in sand in a cool place over winter we have videos on have to do that.
The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener it works very well. Last year I had 2 yacon plants and I saved my rhizomes in a 5 gallon bucket of sand in the attic over winter. This year I have about 40 plants. The cold is going to kill the tops tonight, so I will dig most of them up this weekend and put the divided rhizomes in the sand bucket in the attic again. I’m gonna leave a couple plants in the ground and try to figure out how long they will store in the ground. Have you found any good way to cure or preserve the tubers? I’ve got a new dehydrator that I think I’m going to try this year.
The yacon has both rhizomes and tubers. It is started from the rhizomes. You can cut the rhizomes off and store them like dahlia roots in damp sawdust or sand. I dusted mine with a fungicide to prevent rotting. I don’t know if this is required as I never tried storing them without applying fungicide. I tried rooting a part of a tuber using rooting hormone but it rotted without developing any roots.
Hi, I wonder if you would like to sell some yacon to me, please? I would like to plant some yacon since it will help with my diabetic problem. I live in Texas. Thank you!
@@WisVeggieGardeners please keep me in the loop until whenever you are ready to sell it. I would need some yacon to plant. When would be the right time to plan Yacon may I ask?
First time grower in big mineral bucket container and got about the size as yours on your right. Tasting it seemed to me a flavor of parsnips. Was not as juicy as shown by other utube videos so will leave and see if they get juicy. Thanks for posting.
I replanted my yacon after overwintering the crown in the garage (and later basement once the garage started to freeze in January) and then woke it from dormancy by bringing it into my grow room at room temperature on April 1, that way by late May it was a nice large plant to transplant, with a dozen 12-18" stalks growing out of their 3 gal containers. After growing it again for the second season, I got 20lbs of tubers and an almost 10lb crown on top of that. The crown broke apart into many small parts so I can grow several plants from it next year. I'm in Ontario Zone 5a, so similar climate to Wisconsin. You definitely get much bigger yields if you overwinter a large crown rather than just a small plant growing from a single rhyzome.
So far I haven't had much success storing them in my root cellar. I think I'll just store the tubers the same as the crown, in a pot or bucket at cool temperatures, filled with relatively dry (slightly damp) soil, sand or peat moss, at around 35-55F.
I've grown them for a couple of years in various containers in NJ. I like that they have inulin instead of a lot of sugar (great for diabetics) and you can eat them raw as well as cooked. The leaves look pretty cool too.
Hi, can you please sell me some of yacon so that I can plant them here in Texas? I am diabetic and Yacon would be helpful for me.
Thank you!
I know this is a dated video but extremely helpful in how we plan to store the crowns over the Winter of 2024 to replant in Spring 2025 in Washington, DC, Zone 7. Thank you.
Great idea on using the plastic. It says they need 6-8 months to grow. Planting can be staggered to allow for continuous use. Suggestion- why not use a thicker layer of compost further out around the plant in order to maintain the soil warm and help the roots to spread out further.
Thank you for watching and the suggestion. This was the 1st year for us growing them. In past years we have found they have done much better we plant them end of May and frost kills them in mid oct and they have ground very good in our zone 5 a garden
Awesome video, very encouraging, thank you! I planted yacon this year, but way late, so my harvest was small. I did end up with plenty of starters for next spring, though! Love the idea of the open-topped "mini greenhouse". I'll try it on my ginger next year too! Sadly, Nichols Nursery went out of business.... BUT, these are still available through another local (Corvallis, Oregon) family business called "Peace Seedlings." They specialize in exotic Andean tubers and other really interesting plants :)
We also have found putting then in a bucket of sand and storing them in the Attic to keep them cold but not freezing
Growing Yacon for the first time here in France. The plants are a good size - just waiting until the first frosts, which are hopefully still a ways off. I was curious how to store the rhizome and your video was very helpful, thank you.
Thank you for watching we take and store the rhizomes in a bucket of sand it does not have to be wet it can be dry and we will pack as many root systems in the bucket as we can then pore sand around then until the bucket is full and the rhizomes are fully covered. we put that bucked in the stair of our attic where is will it will stay just above freezing and keep them dormant until sting. If you only have a few rhizomes you can put them in a smaller container and in sand keeping them in the back and bottom on the refrigerator
@@WisVeggieGardeners I saw the video was from 2016, so I was wondering how you've gotten on since, and if you'd changed any of your practices. It's good to know you can pack them all into a single bucket of dry sand over winter. I will give that a try, and will make sure they do not freeze. I bought 5 yacons - gave one to the neighbour who also grows vegetables as these plants aren't readily available here and she has greener fingers than I do (a sort of insurance policy should I have killed mine!) One went in the polytunnel and got an early start in the year, and the other three are doing pretty well outdoors. Can't wait to try it.
Since 2016 all practices have stayed the same and been very successful for us in the saving of the rhriomes and replanting them
Great info
Can I keep them in the garage? I’m in Canada
Yes as long as the don't freeze
What's your best harvest been like? I'm in a similar climate (Ontario Zone 5), May 15/Oct 10 average last/first frost. Last year was a failure due to being in a spot where they didn't get enough sun, but this year I got 10-12lbs per plant with 1-2 lb crowns.
Wow that is good amount per plant we plant keep them watered and that is it we have had a good as 5 lbs per plant other years 2 to 3. I am yet to harvest this year's
@@timebythetent3594 Yeah, all I did was water a bit too, along with amending a lot of compost into the soil and mulching with fairly degraded woodchips. They didn't need much watering either, mostly in June, since July and August were wet, and later in fall evapotranspiration rates drop.
So mine only got 2 feet tall and I'm in zone 8b I just put them in garage in the pot they were already in by a sw window.
Will the left over roots that are left behind in the ground after harvesting regrow?
No they will not in the northern climates they will rot in the ground that is why we save the rhizomes in sand over Winter indoors in order to start them in the Spring in warmer climate such a South America they can harvest the roots and then through the rhizomes in the ground again to regrow because there is no cold winters
Hi, can I plant the actual fruit? My rhizomes look dry. Thanks
No the fruit doesn't contain and seeds the rhizomes are the only way to grow a mew plant . You can sock them in water for a half hour to a hour to help them out
This is freaky unreal! I planted two yacon and to protect them from squirrels wrapped a tomato cage with row cover but left the top open. One plant I took off the cage and cover the other I never got around to it. The one with the cover is around 4 foot high and the uncovered one is about 18 inches. I thought it was just the soil difference. Unbelievable! Definitely planning on doing the opened sheltered cage next year. Thank you so much for this video.
Can you propagate a new plant from the tubers, like potato?
No the only way you can propagate Yacons in by the rhizomes you can save them in the fall in sand in a cool place over winter we have videos on have to do that.
The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener it works very well. Last year I had 2 yacon plants and I saved my rhizomes in a 5 gallon bucket of sand in the attic over winter. This year I have about 40 plants. The cold is going to kill the tops tonight, so I will dig most of them up this weekend and put the divided rhizomes in the sand bucket in the attic again. I’m gonna leave a couple plants in the ground and try to figure out how long they will store in the ground. Have you found any good way to cure or preserve the tubers? I’ve got a new dehydrator that I think I’m going to try this year.
The yacon has both rhizomes and tubers. It is started from the rhizomes. You can cut the rhizomes off and store them like dahlia roots in damp sawdust or sand. I dusted mine with a fungicide to prevent rotting. I don’t know if this is required as I never tried storing them without applying fungicide.
I tried rooting a part of a tuber using rooting hormone but it rotted without developing any roots.
awesome my friend :)
What time of the year do you harvest Yacon cheers
after frost kills upper part of the plant and before it kills the bottom
Hi, I wonder if you would like to sell some yacon to me, please? I would like to plant some yacon since it will help with my diabetic problem. I live in Texas.
Thank you!
@imnoone3051 we do sell yacons rhizomes in later winter early spring. Ours are still growing currently until frost
@@WisVeggieGardeners please keep me in the loop until whenever you are ready to sell it. I would need some yacon to plant. When would be the right time to plan Yacon may I ask?
First time grower in big mineral bucket container and got about the size as yours on your right. Tasting it seemed to me a flavor of parsnips. Was not as juicy as shown by other utube videos so will leave and see if they get juicy. Thanks for posting.