Ulluco Harvest

Ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus) harvest of the year, lest “Pisac”, right “Cusco”

This time I succeeded getting a tiny ulluco harvest. I planted three different clones. One died. Of the two survivors, only the one from Cusco made a notable harvest. Well, not that the tuber are sizeable at all, but the output was heavier than the input! In their favour I must note, that they sprouted very late, in late June. Maybe they need a few growing seasons to overcome the move from Andes to Denmark?
Compare the size with the parent tubers below:

The three tubers planted in spring. The small to the very right sprouted first, but only to fade away.

I was away a week in December. When I came home, the ullucos and their pots was frozen solid. An other week passed, before I managed to dig them out of the still frozen pots. The tubers in the surface had all died, but those deeper buried, but still frozen, survived to a large extent. Some died during the first week indoor, but most of them are still in good shape.

Don’t ask how they taste! I didn’t taste them yet. I believe a number of gardeners would like to try them in their garden. All will be saved for replanting in spring.

Ulluco – again an older post

 

Ulluco – again

Three clones of ulluco, Ullucus tuberosus

The other day a seedsaver came to collect the globe artichoke I’d promised him. He presented three tubers of ulluco to me – Thanks a lot! He had been in Peru shortly before, and brought back some of those interesting andean heirlooms.

last I tried ulluco it didn’t work out, they didn’t sprout for a start.

I think it will work better this time, as the tubers are bought in marketplaces around Peru. I guess it is quite unlikely that they have been radiated to prevent sprouting. Now they rest in a pot each in the greenhouse – and I’m waiting impatiently.

 

Ulluco

Ulluco tuber, Ullucus tuberosus

Ulluco is a crop from the Andes. Elsa, who is a fellow danish seed saver, posted the tuber in a frostfree period this winter. Since then I have stored it in the larder. I took a look at it, since I have read in a blog that it sprouts very quickly when it decides to grow. I want to be prepared when it happens.
Color is fantastic, and it comes in many solid colors as well as multicolored.

To get some idea on how to grow it I’ll read “Lost Crops of the Incas”

Patrick over at Bifucated Carrots writes about ulluco and other crops from the andes. Do pay him a visit.