Planting Yacon:
Planting:
Yacon crowns can be split into pieces (be sure each piece has at least one major eye or "caudex") and planted in a small pot of dirt or compost. They should be started in January or February in a greenhouse or window sill. Plants can go in the garden after the last frost usually in April or May (light frost will burn the leaves but won't usually kill the crown). Alternatively, crowns can be planted directly in the garden if well protected, especially from slugs. Space the plants 1 to 3 feet apart. Plants usually grow 4 to 5 feet tall but can grow up to 8 feet. They will grow in a wide variety of soils and like a lot of water especially after transplanting and again in the fall when they are making tubers. Earthing up the plants helps them retain water; suppresses weeds; protects them from cold; and encourages them to make more crowns and tubers in the fall. Yacon is usually harvested in October but the longer they're in the ground the larger the tubers will grow. We planted our Yacon in mid-April and harvested at the end of November.
Harvesting:
When you're ready to harvest, carefully extract the tuber-laden crowns from the ground.The tubers should be separated from the crown for curing but be very careful as they're quite brittle and will break easily at the neck. Let them cure for 1 to 2 weeks during which time they'll become much sweeter than when they're first harvested. You can tell they are cured and sweet when the skin turns a dark, maroon red. Tubers store and cure best at a cool temperature. If you're storing them for a long time it's best to leave them attached to the crowns. Crowns store well in a moist medium in a cool, frost-free place during the winter. They'll be ready to start growing again as soon as possible so keep an eye on them. January-March is the time to replant them.
