When to Plant Yacon in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide

Plant November. Right now in October it is out of season. The next planting month is November.

Planting window
Start crown pieces in pots in September and plant out after the last frost in late November. Dig tubers once frost blackens the tops...
Days to harvest
about 26 weeks
Sunlight
Full sun to light shade. Tolerates some shade but yields best in full sun.
Water needs
Water regularly during establishment and dry periods. Yacon is surprisingly...
Spacing
60cm apart, 90cm between rows
Soil pH
5.5-7.0

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Yacon guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Yacon

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Yacon (Peruvian ground apple) is an unusual South American root crop producing large, sweet, crunchy tubers that can be eaten raw like fruit. It stores energy as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) rather than starch, making it very low calorie and prebiotic. The plant grows like a sunflower (1.5-2m tall), is virtually pest-free, and produces prolifically. Propagated from rhizomes, not seed.

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Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - - - - - - P -

P = Planting window

Start crown pieces in pots in September and plant out after the last frost in late November. Dig tubers once frost blackens the tops, keeping crowns in a frost-free place for replanting.

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This month in Cold / Highland

In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.

The full twelve months are on the Cold / Highland zone page.

How to Grow Yacon in Cold / Highland Australia

When to Plant

Start crown pieces in pots in September and plant out after the last frost in late November. Dig tubers once frost blackens the tops, keeping crowns in a frost-free place for replanting.

Soil
Rich, friable, well-drained soil. Grows in a wide range of soils but crops best in deep, fertile loam with plenty of organic matter. Avoid waterlogged conditions.
pH Range
5.5-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun to light shade. Tolerates some shade but yields best in full sun.
Spacing
60cm apart, 90cm between rows
Watering
Water regularly during establishment and dry periods. Yacon is surprisingly drought-tolerant once established but yields more with consistent moisture. Reduce watering after the top growth dies back...

Companion plants: Sunflower, Corn, Jerusalem Artichoke

Avoid planting near: No known antagonisms

Grow before, grow after

Yacon belongs with the root crops, the roots and alliums turn of a four turn bed rotation.

Grow before it
Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Grow after it
Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)

Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.

Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Yacon

Recommended Varieties

  • Standard yacon (if attempting)

Key Challenges

  • Short frost-free season
  • Insufficient warmth for full development
  • Early autumn frosts kill foliage before tubers mature

Pro Tips

  • Experimental at best in cold highland areas
  • Greenhouse growing is the most reliable approach
  • Large pots or containers that can be moved indoors for frost protection

Harvesting Yacon

When ready: Top growth withers and dies back naturally (triggered by shorter days and cooler temperatures). DO NOT harvest early. Tubers continue to sweeten as the plant dies back. Wait until ALL foliage is completely dead. This typically takes 6-7 months from planting.

How to harvest: Cut dead stalks to ground level. Use a garden fork inserted 30-40cm from the base. Lift the entire clump carefully. Separate the two types of underground growth: (1) REDDISH RHIZOMES at the crown base, save for replanting; (2) LARGE BROWN TUBERS below. These are for eating. Handle tubers gently as skin is thin. Sun-dry tubers for a few days to sweeten further.

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the cold and highland zone this October: Sweet Corn, Beetroot, Celeriac and Kohlrabi.

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Common Questions About Yacon

When do you plant yacon in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.