Can yacón be grown in the north? Growing conditions and key techniques

Yacón, also known as yacón, yacón potato, or ground ginseng fruit, is a plant adapted to growing on sandy soil at altitudes between 1000-2300m. So can it be grown in the north? How do you grow it?

Can yacón be grown in the north?

Yacón can be grown in the north. But it is generally grown in the south, because yacón has high temperature requirements during its growth and is quite intolerant of cold; once the temperature drops below 15°C it stops growing. Therefore it is suited to growing in China's Yunnan, Fujian and Hainan, regions that are warm all year round.

How do you grow yacón?

1. Seed selection and land preparation

You should buy good seeds and seedlings, requiring plump, intact seed buds and glossy green, robust seedlings free of disease and damage. In the year before planting, deeply plow about 30 cm in winter, sun-bleach the soil, open deep furrows and make beds; make wide beds on well-drained plots, and narrow or raised beds on poorly drained plots.

2. Sowing

Aim to sow early at the right time; it is best to raise seedlings in nutrient pots and transplant them. For direct sowing, early April is suitable, while for sowing with plastic film mulch, late March is best. If conditions allow building low plastic tunnels, the time can be moved even earlier. Raising seedlings in nutrient pots should be done in early to mid-March, and after the frost-free period they should be transplanted to the field and watered promptly. The earlier they are planted, the higher the yield.

3. Watering

Watering and drainage: during the early and middle stages of yacón growth, water promptly according to soil moisture. In summer's high temperatures, soil moisture should be kept above 80%, and the surface soil temperature should be lowered below 40°C. In years with heavy rain or on low-lying plots, pay attention to drainage to prevent waterlogging. In the later stages of yacón growth, take care not to overwater, to prevent fruit splitting.

4. Fertilizing

Apply sufficient base fertilizer. For the base fertilizer, it is best to use thoroughly decomposed human, livestock and poultry manure, 2000 kg per mu, plus 20 kg of compound fertilizer applied at once. Alternatively, apply 100 kg of high-quality phosphate fertilizer, 30 kg of potassium fertilizer and 20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu; if conditions allow, add 10 kg of multi-element minerals, which has a good effect on increasing yield and market quality.

5. Pruning and pinching

When the yacón stem grows to 1 m tall, some tiller branches will appear; remove the excess branches. For plants growing too vigorously, also pinch off the growing tips to control excessive above-ground growth and promote tuber enlargement.

When the yacón flowers fade in November-December and the branches and leaves turn yellow, it can be harvested.