Yacon

Quick facts

Category

roots bulbs

Difficulty

beginner

Days to harvest

180 to 240 days

Harvest type

single harvest then replant

Spacing

90 cm between plants

Environment

Temperature

10–28°C

pH

6 to 7.5

EC (hydroponic)

1.4 to 2 mS/cm

Daily light

18 to 28 mol/m²/day

Climate and zones

USDA zones

7 to 11 (winter low around -18°C or warmer)

Frost tolerance

frost sensitive (dies at first frost)

Season

warm (summer crops, frost-sensitive)

Viable growing environments:

• outdoor in growing season (annual)
• unheated greenhouse / hoop house
• heated greenhouse

USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.

Growing systems

Yacon works in:

• soil bed
• media bed (ebb and flow)

Root mass is very heavy - thin-channel systems (NFT, vertical towers) can't hold this crop mechanically, hence the system list above.

Growing media

The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (yacon works in the media listed below).

Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.

Nutrient demand by stage

NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.

Companion-growing notes

• High transpiration. Reservoir level will need regular top-ups during fruiting or flowering.

Aquaponics suitability

Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.

Care notes

A warm-season tuber crop for media beds or large containers (20 L) with 20 cm of loose substrate. EC 1.5-2.5 mS/cm. pH 5.5-7.0. Temperature: 18–28°C (Andean highland origin; more cold-tolerant than tropical tubers, surviving light frost, but sustained freezing kills the plant). Moderate to high light (DLI 14-22 mol/m2/day). Propagation: from crown divisions (the thick, rhizome-like crown above the tubers produces buds that can be separated and replanted). Plant divisions in spring. The above-ground plant grows vigorously through summer. Tubers form at the base, expanding in autumn. Harvest when the foliage dies back after first frost, digging carefully to extract the fragile tubers. Each plant produces 2–5 kg of tubers. Eat raw (peeled and sliced, like jicama) or juice for a sweet, refreshing drink. The FOS content increases with a few days of sun exposure after harvest. A unique, health-conscious specialty crop with genuine novelty appeal.

Further reading

• Best crops for hydroponic beginners
• The Kratky method: grow lettuce with zero electricity