Oca

[Whwoz]

Not sure if many over there have grown this South American tuber. I was able to get three lots of small tubers this season for a first attempt at growing it. Not being sure how they would go, what they would look like and indeed if they would come up at all I potted them up into 30 liter tubs. This also had the advantage of my not weeding them out thinking they were a type of Oxalis . I cannot recall all variety names, one I think is Bunyip, but they are looking good. Pulling this out of my glog for more people to see. If you have any experience with this please feel free to add.

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[Tormahto]

In the thread title, I thought you were using a Bostonian accent on the ship from Jaws.

I read about Oca years ago, doubt it could grow, here.

[karstopography]

They evidently are an Oxalis, Oxalis tuberosa

https://www.cultivariable.com/instructi ... -grow-oca/

Says here they like cooler weather and need short days of the fall to produce tubers.

Wild Oxalis, wood sorrel, grows wild all over my yard and is considered edible. I haven’t yet eaten any.

https://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/wood-sorel.html

[rxkeith]

i did a quick search to see if i could grow oca.
we definitely have the cooler climate, and light soil here.
reading that tuber development starts in september has me thinking maybe not.
frost can be late september, early october here. november, there could be a foot of snow
on the ground already. growing in a green house might work or in a big pot that can be moved
in doors could also work.
i did not check to see if tubers are available here in the states.


keith

[Whwoz]

@rxkeith, you may find that tuber formation is far more dependent on climatic conditions than calendars. It may be that where you are they would start tuber formation in late July/August rather than September

[MissS]

The only time that I have eaten Oca was in Jamaica and I wanted to eat what the natives were eating for breakfast. It was much like scrambled eggs but not quite as good for my taste buds.

[Shule]

I've done some research on it previously (as well as on other cool tubers like Stachys affinis and Stachys floridana), but I've never grown or tasted Oca.

[cultivariable]

Oca is absolutely limited by short day photoperiod. The plants need to be frost free until at least the end of October for a worthwhile harvest and the end of November is much better.

[PNW_D]

Peace Seedlings is offering mixed Oca this year .....

http://peaceseedlingsseeds.blogspot.com

[rxkeith]

looks like i am out.

my growing season is two months too short.


keith

[Whwoz]

Have moved the tubes of these onto the covered deck where the plants are starting to die off. Will shortly harvest them, be interesting to see what comes out of the pots and what they taste like. Comments on line indicate a slight lemon hint.