When to Plant Yacon in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

Plant September to November. Right now in October you can plant.

Planting window
Plant sprouting crown pieces once the frost risk has passed. Dig the tubers after the tops die back, keeping some crown pieces to replant.
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 Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra 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.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Best Planting Window for Warm Temperate

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

P = Planting window

Plant sprouting crown pieces once the frost risk has passed. Dig the tubers after the tops die back, keeping some crown pieces to replant.

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This month in Warm Temperate

In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.

The full twelve months are on the Warm Temperate zone page.

How to Grow Yacon in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Plant sprouting crown pieces once the frost risk has passed. Dig the tubers after the tops die back, keeping some crown pieces to replant.

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.

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Yacon

Recommended Varieties

  • Standard yacon

Key Challenges

  • Shorter growing season than subtropics
  • Late frost can kill emerged shoots

Pro Tips

  • Start rhizomes in pots 4-6 weeks before planting out
  • Choose a warm, sheltered position
  • Mulch heavily as autumn approaches to protect tubers

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.

Common Yacon Pests in Warm Temperate Zones

Insect Damage, risk: MODERATE (score: 52/100)

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the warm temperate zone this October: Lemongrass, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Cucumber.

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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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.