Oca

Growing

Plant whole tubers rather than seeds, which is more reliable and common practice. This perennial root grows in slightly acidic soil, ideally between pH 5.5 and 6.5. Once your plants are established, they need little maintenance beyond occasional weeding and hilling to keep the developing tubers covered. Because oca is a cool-season crop, it fits well in a crop rotation, often following a potato harvest in a sequence that includes legumes or grains.

Watch your garden for weevils, such as the Andean potato weevil, which can devastate an entire crop. Nematodes also threaten the root systems. The plant is hardy enough to survive a hard freeze. Harvest the tubers when they are fully developed, as they do not continue to ripen once picked.

In the kitchen, remember that oca contains oxalates, primarily in the skin. Some varieties are sour due to high oxalic acid levels. For long-term use, store unwashed tubers in a cool, dark cellar. For high-oxalate varieties, traditional methods involve soaking them in water for a month before exposing them to cycles of sun and frost to dehydrate them into a stable product.