Growing Yacon, also Sunroot

Smallanthus sonchifolius : Asteraceae / the daisy family

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

(Best months for growing Yacon in Australia - tropical 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

09 Jun 20, Trevor Clark (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Janice I am also in the hobart area and was hoping to obtain some Yacon tubers or root stock. Can you please point me in the right direction, cheers trevor
01 Jun 19, June (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Diggers Club don't have the Yacon would you be willing to post to me I will of course cover all costs.
30 Jul 18, Chris Gee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grew one Yacon last year a couple of small tubers (just a taste) I have broken up the roots and put them into 200mm pots can I plant these into the garden now or should I dig them up and plat later if so when should I plant?. I live just north of Mackay Qld.
31 Jul 18, Linda Shewan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have grown yacon for many years and I usually just replant immediately if I'm somewhere the frosts aren't too harsh. I live in a colder zone now so I have dug them up and put them inside and will replant after last frost date this year. You only replant the rhizomes, not the tubers. So dig them up, eat the tubers and replant the rhizomes into individual spots.
31 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - tropical climate)
You are Tropical and it says plant April to July. Read the notes here.
29 Jan 19, Chris Gee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We are on the coast 40Km north of Mackay and we are usually 2-3 degrees cooler than Rocky so I have been using the sub tropical zone and it usually works fine.
01 Jun 19, June (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We are on the sunshine coast and can't find a supplier anywhere could you advise where you got yours from please.
19 Jul 18, Julie Bourke (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just harvested about 5 kgs of yacon tubers and I was wondering how long they will last before cooking/eating and should they be kept in the fridge?? I am just trying to work out whether it is best to give most away or whether they will last until we eat them....5kgs is rather a lot of yacon!!! Can you overdose on it???
21 Mar 21, Jose (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
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 )
20 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They may keep for a few weeks in the fridge. There is a YouTube video
Showing 51 - 60 of 214 comments

Hi Jim I am in Hobart and have some growing. I have happy to share some if you can let me know by email where you are.

- David Donald

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