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I have two tubers of oca and know nowt about them whatsoever. They're in the fridge but they're starting to go a little soft. The person that gave them to me said they're frost tender so should be treated like potatoes, but didn't know any more than that. Can I put them in small pots now and pot them on or plant them out later? Do they need chitting? Can I grow them in Morrisons buckets?
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The problem with rounded personalities is they don't tesselate. -
I'd put them in a bucket with some soil and plant out when the spring is here and no more frosts.
I put mine in the soil in December and they have 10cm shoots now getting their first few leaves.http://onegardenersadventures.blogspot.com/ updated 10-03-2010 with homebrew pics & allotment pics -
I'd put them out now to be honest, they will grow back like potatoes from any left in the ground so they are hardy.
What your chum meant is that the foliage collapses as soon as the first frost comes. After that, you have to hold on and give the tubers 4-6 weeks to bulk up as they take the starch from the collapsed foliage and that's what bulks them up. They need this or you get piddly tubers; they can double or triple in size the longer they are left.
Weigh that against the slugs getting them; which is what happens if they are left too long.
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I can't imagine how they could possibly be any smaller zazen.
So if they grow foliage outside, and then get frosted, will they recover? Are yours in a greenhouse tiachica?
The problem with rounded personalities is they don't tesselate.Comment
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They won't grow foliage yet.
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Furry nuff. Thanks
The problem with rounded personalities is they don't tesselate.Comment
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nope.. mine are in the living room, next to the backdoor, where it's always a bit chilly.http://onegardenersadventures.blogspot.com/ updated 10-03-2010 with homebrew pics & allotment picsComment
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In our house that spot's already taken by tomatoes and sweet peas.The problem with rounded personalities is they don't tesselate.Comment
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Hehe... our tomatoes and chillis are on all window sills inbetween the chitting potatoes.http://onegardenersadventures.blogspot.com/ updated 10-03-2010 with homebrew pics & allotment picsComment
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Aye, our widowsills are always full. I really miss this one... Grow Your Own - Growing, How To Grow Tomatoes Growing Fruit & Veg - Recipe Advice, Organic food Gardening, Chickens, Seeds for SaleThe problem with rounded personalities is they don't tesselate.Comment
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Hi Sylvan
No need to keep them in the fridge. They will keep fine in a cool room, and they will start to sprout when the time is right. If you plant them out now, they will not do anything for a while, and there is a risk that they will be damaged by slugs or mice.
The annual cycle of oca is described here:
Growing Oca: 2009 Growing Season - Oca with tomatoes
The method of growing with tomatoes works well spacewise, and the oca may give some protection to the toms.
Growing Oca: Oca as Soil Fungicide?
Good luck with them.Comment
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Thank you for the links Ian. They made fascinating reading. It's a pity I have around 30 tomato seedlings (so far) and only 2 oca tubers. I shall have to bulk them up this year and intercrop in 2012. (Sorry, "bi-crop". What's the difference between the two?) Unfortunately, having dutifully followed several links I still haven't been able to find out how deep to plant them. What do you'all do?The problem with rounded personalities is they don't tesselate.Comment
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