Growing Yacon, also Sunroot

Smallanthus sonchifolius : Asteraceae / the daisy family

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

(Best months for growing Yacon in Australia - temperate regions)

  • P = Plant tubers
  • Easy to grow. Plant sprouting root/tuber to a depth of about 4cm and mulch to cover. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 100 cm 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

23 Feb 12, Gill (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
www.daleysfruit.com.au stock yacon
16 Feb 12, Julie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can you please tell me where I can buy this plant
03 Aug 13, l Al Fry (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Julie, I can let you have some yacon small tubers ready for planting if you want, No charge , you just to pay postage. Al
19 Jul 14, Daniel C (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Al, I'd like some tubers too .if you don't mind. I'd pay for the postage. Thanks . Daniel
28 Mar 13, Matt from Canberra (Australia - temperate climate)
Many people sell yacon from their gardens, look for it on allclassifieds.com.au during the winter time.
06 Aug 12, stephen (Australia - temperate climate)
Diggers club
26 May 11, Jo (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You can also peel, slice, dip in water and lemon juice and put in a dehydrator. Once dry, eat as chips or grind into a flour to use as a sugar substitute. :D
Showing 211 - 217 of 217 comments

Don't fridge yacon tuber. Only the rhizomes, if you need to fridge any of it. Cool cupboard or hung in a cotton bag in the garage in a dark spot works well. These will last many months. Most yacon people watch for when the outside starts to grow some surface mould and then consume the last ones quickly. The mould just cuts off, hasn't entered the tuber. Yacon will look AWFUL and squishy and gross in a matter of weeks and that's when they are best consumed. So age them for a few weeks at least. I'd say 5 months is a minimum to be able to store them and last year I got mine to 8 months before I saw any issues. I'm in a cool and dry climate. The only overdose you'll achieve on yacon is a lot of insoluble fibre that many westerners are not used to and your belly bugs will love and you and others around you may not appreciate. It has no ill effect though and is healthy. If you eat predominantly a vegan or veggo diet than it may not have this effect for you. (Gardenate : More information here https://www.permaculture.co.uk/How-to-grow-harvest-eat-yacon )

- Jose

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