Unless stated otherwise, all are with the same variety (Real Seeds Red).
* Oca informally mixed with tall peas, beans, and corn (maize).
2008. Demonstrated acceptable oca cropping when planted with close competition. Details here.
* Oca bi-cropped with cordon-grown tomatoes.
2009. Demonstrated tomato yield not significantly reduced by interplanted Oca compared to interplanted French marigolds as control. Details here.
Companion planted Oca may provide some protection against Fusarium wilt in tomatoes. Details here.
* Oca / Yacon / Chinese artichoke polyculture.
2010. Three-way polyculture. Details here.
* Oca, optimum interval between killing frost and harvest.
2009. Interrupted by severe weather, but results suggest optimum harvest date is later than generally recommended. Ideally, trial would be repeated to give definitive results. Details here.
* Oca grown within a low-input perennial/self-seeding polyculture.
Started 2010. Ongoing, here.
* Oca bi-cropped with corn (maize).
2010. here.
2010. here.
* Comparison of Oca varieties.
I'm collecting as many varieties as possible for this. Ongoing.
* Size of planting tuber - effect on yield.
Planned.
Suggestions for other trials are welcome. Please leave a comment.
Hi very usful site. I'm into my second year of growing Oca, this year I experimented with comparing tubers planted in trenches and those which I cut with a slot created by a spade. I planted the tubers about 18 inches apart. I manured both plots and aslo applied regular liquid manure. The plants were very vigorous each plant growing up to four feet in extent. However curiously the yeild was a bit disapointing. However it was the plants on the edge of both plots that had a dramticly larger yeild than those in the middle of the plot. I wonder if anyone has any suggestions why this may have happened. I wonder if I planted the tubers to close together or perhpas over manured the crop.
ReplyDeleteGreat job experimenting to broaden knowledge of these fascinating vegetables. I, too am an experimenter. I have ordered Oca to grow next year and I live in Zone 3 Canada where killing frost is often mid September. I can do a plastic hoop cover over the row which might push frost till Oct 1 (December is ridiculous). But I have a great idea that I'm not sure has been tried. Many sites say Oca produces tubers when the sunlight becomes less...Why not just cover the hoop cover rows earlier each day starting in August? Would that not force the plants to get busy and make tubers?? I mean if they needed more sunlight I'd be out of luck but they just need less... I'm going to try this. what do you think?
ReplyDeleteYou could send me a reply to the above message - Meagan
Deleteuseful_fish@hotmail.com
A shame comments are not replied to, other wise a good site. I am in Western Canada as well and mine died under snow. Trying to figure out when to harvest
DeleteWhere do you buy this plants? Do you sell them?
ReplyDeleteI think this is an avocado plant
ReplyDeleteDid you ever do a trial of planting tuber size vs yield?
ReplyDelete