Growing Yacon, also Sunroot

Smallanthus sonchifolius : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Easy to grow. Plant sprouting root/tuber to a depth of about 4cm and mulch to cover. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 25 weeks. You can collect a few at a time without digging out the whole plant..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best in separate bed

Your comments and tips

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26 Mar 21, Cattleya MacGavin (Australia - temperate climate)
My friend’s yacons are flowering everywhere and my - not even a bud, same as last year. What have I done wrong.
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29 Mar 21, (Australia - temperate climate)
Maybe too much fertiliser and are they in full sun or shade.
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09 Mar 21, Sue (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Is it too late to plant my yakons now. How do I keep the plants alive if it is too late
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27 Apr 21, GM (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Just doing some research myself, and I found this comment on the Koanga website - https://www.koanga.org.nz/yacon/
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19 Feb 21, Pat (USA - Zone 7a climate)
Will yacon roots be safe underneath the ground in the winter and be able to regrow again in spring in zone 7a? (Is it Perennial in zone 7a?) Thank you. Pat
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03 Dec 20, T & K Gauthier (USA - Zone 5a climate)
After pulling the yacon plant (we only have one), how do we store the rhizomes until spring planting time? We have a high tunnel, but I don't think it would be happy there over winter.
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04 Dec 20, (USA - Zone 5a climate)
Read the notes here it tell you how to store them over winter.
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03 Nov 20, yan (Canada - Zone 2b Sub-Arctic climate)
Can I have some tuber of yacon? want to plant some.
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05 Nov 20, (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
If you are sub artic then it looks like you can't grow it in sub artic by the planting calendar here.
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21 Oct 20, Di (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Will Yakon grow in Christchurch and do you know anyone that has the tubers in ChCh? Thanks.
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