[Ema]

Just wondered if there are any tips for getting a good harvest of Oca?

I really want the tubers for next year so don't want to do anything damaging to them.

Should I be feeding them weekly still?

would covering them in clear plastic help yield?

I've got some straw that was used for mulching my spuds would that help them at all or could it pass diseases on?

Thanks

[Salmo]

According to this you leave them until the first frosts kill the tops and then lift them. A mulch will help to protect the tubers in the ground. Fleece may keep the frost off a bit longer.http://www.realseeds.co.uk/oca_instructions.html

[Ema]

thanks will see if I have any fleece left in the garage, I thought mine was a bit slow to start so really would like to get as much from it as possible

[sunshineband]

The tubers carry on getting bigger even after the foliage has been killed off by frost. They have a kind of reserve mechanism in the stem under the ground before the part that forms tubers.

So carry on feeding them, as building this up will help them.

I never bother fleecing mine, and start digging around the end of November most years, with the tubers lasting well in the ground (if you do not have small rodents to dig them up and munch on them of course) until at least January/ February.

They store well, with no special treatment: I just keep the ones I have dug in shallow cardboard boxes in the garage.

[BabbyAnn]

The tubers carry on getting bigger even after the foliage has been killed off by frost. They have a kind of reserve mechanism in the stem under the ground before the part that forms tubers.

Yes, I learned that last year - I waited until the frost and left them while the foliage collapsed and went soggy, then lifted them up.  An amazing crop from just a small handful of tubers, but this year I think I'll wait until much later as I might have been a bit over eager to dig them up as many tubers were on the small side.

with the tubers lasting well in the ground (if you do not have small rodents to dig them up and munch on them of course) until at least January/ February

Don't forget slugs - they seemed to enjoy munching on them too

[sunshineband]

I allow them to have a small number of little blue pellets around now -- seems to help 

[Ema]

Thanks that's very helpful, there is a rat problem on the plot at the moment but far too much sweet food around for them to bother with oca at the moment. I will put a few slug pellets down the stems do look like the have recently flopped a little in this cooler weather.

[Ema]

I had a look at my oca today, most of the growth has been got by the frost, when I had a closer look there were a few tubers above ground which I picked, I thew a sprinkling of straw over the plants just to keep the fost off the tubers for a few weeks. Really looking forward to seeing what's under ground.