Oca, though, my first year experimenting with this. Although both Yacon and Oca are said to be short-day plants, it doesn't seem so with the Yacon. Oca, however, definitely is. It has only begun to make tiny tubers now, and will NOT make it in my climate.

Mine are potted. I'm going to ovewinter them indoors and try again next year with artificial short days starting in early to mid August (covering every evening at 6:00 with a black cloth, and uncovering before work the next morning).

I brought the Yacon in and was just about to bring the Oca in but the frost got to them first...forgot to cover them one night.

I'm debating whether it's worth it to go on. I hear they are delicious, so maybe I'll give them one more year.

I wish there was more information about how to grow them in North America.

Sorry about the lack of success with Yacon. Was it hot in Colorado this summer? I think mine might have done so well just because I had two extraordinarily cool summers in a row. This past summer, some of the nights in July were downright cold, right around 40 degrees, very unusual even for Michigan.

The yacon tuber is really tasty. It has the texture of Jicama, is sweetish, and has a mild carrot flavor. I like it both raw in salads and cooked in stir-fried dishes.

I overwintered them like dahlias - dug them, washed off the excess soil, spread them out to dry in my basement in front to the dehumidifier for about 5 days, then stored in paper grocery sacks in the basement for the winter.

And yes, I got the original plants from Nichols. I like them, they are a good company.