Yam daisy or murnong (Microseris lanceolata) from Australia, harvest outside in Malvik on 12th November 2011. I’ve had lower yields of other crops! Needs a bit of selection, but not an impossible project I think!
This post is inspired by this video about aboriginal Yam daisy agriculture, introduction of livestock by the Europeans largely destroyed this sustainable agriculture… https://www.farmingsecrets.com/growing-yam-daisies-australias-earliest-agriculture
The smallest of the tubers in yesterday’s dinner (see http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=9577) was so-called rice lily or riceroot (Fritillaria camschatensis), small (but many) sweet tasting tubers that often lie right on the surface all winter! One of the hardiest plants found in Western North America from Oregon to Alaska, Northern Japan and the Russian Far East…and quite a common ornamental for its almost black flowers…
I was potting up ocas and ullucos outside this afternoon (to force for winter greens) and there was a sudden hail storm . The pots are brought inside and I use the edible shoots from the tubers all winter!
Yacon (Polymnia edulis/Smallanthus sonchifolius) also gives higher yields when grown on inside until the end of the year in a large pot; however, it is much less day length sensitive than ulluco and oca…when I had a cold greenhouse, yacon would give at least as good a yield as this by October…
The sweet tasting tubers are becoming quite popular in recent years! Yacon is in the Asteraceae, the roots containing inulin like its edible tubered cousins Jerusalem artichoke and Dahlia.
As the psychedelic (colour not effect) Andean tubers Oca (Oxalis tuberosa), Ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus) and Achira (Canna edulis) benefit from a longer season than I can give them outside, I grow them in buckets which I bring inside and harvest around Xmas time for a colourful christmas dinner…so here’s an album of this year’s harvest!
I was very surprised by one of the best ulluco harvests here, despite the leaves being mostly frozen off before moving the pots inside and not regrowing…I don’t understand…
I also finally flowered a yacon here! I’ve been growing Yacon now for 10 years, my first harvest here was on 28th October 2006 and I was pleased that I got 1/2 kg for each plant! I had got used to low yields on other South Americans like oca and ulluco when harvested in October, so this was a pleasant surprise!
This yacon was grown on the balcony outside in a large pot, was frosted 2 weeks ago, resulting in some leaf drop, but having moved it inside it has recovered and the flower bud has finally opened!
With an even heavier frost threatened, I moved all my Ocas and Ullucos inside….but, until I clear space (seeds drying everywhere) they are blocking the entrance to my house ;)
I grow them on inside and harvest normally for Xmas!
Not a bad yield considering the size of the plants…this is the yield of one large pot with two plants grown inside. Chufa / tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus) has very tasty tubers! You can read more on my friend Alan Carter’s excellent blog (Aberdeen): https://scottishforestgarden.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/chufa-tigernut
Perennial vegetables, Edimentals (plants that are edible and ornamental) and other goings on in The Edible Garden