I got some yacon( *smallanthus sonchifolius) tubers . How can I make a plant grow from the tuber? I put it in a dark place (that's how it usually works for me with turmeric), but after a few days I noticed that one yacon was rotting. Annthe others are getting soft. Why is that? What's the correct way to germinate yacon from the tuber?
My experience with yacon is that there are very specific ways to do this. What you have there is the storage vehicle of the energy of the plant. It is not like potatoes. No eyes will appear. That part won't grow a new plant. These are like sunchokes, dahlias or skirret. The main part of the plant has the seed/growing part. It will make other little ones. It looks like a small plant with roots. The big root is what you got. It has been cut off from the main plant. You can eat it. To store it, put it in sawdust or something that will keep it moist and well drained. YOu dont want this to rot! I'm not an expert at yacon , but this is what I remember.
I'm sorry Ronaldo, I agree with John and greg that you have the storage tubers there (Nice colour by the way!) They are clustered about the growing part of the plant but won't grow into new plants themselves.
Here is a picture of my yacon plants after harvest a few years ago:
Yavon crowns at harvest
You can hopefully see the knobbly centre of the plant where the stalks were growing - that is the part that you need to be able to regrow the plant. You don't need the whole crown, or even any of the storage tubers, but you do need a growing point.
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