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Oca (New Zealand Yams) in Perth?

20 years ago

I am trying to find out where I can get Oca tubers from in Perth so I can grow them in the vege patch. I can't order them online as they come from interstate and they are restricted by law from them being imported into WA. Can anyone help with a local supplier?

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Comments (12)

tinahere
20 years ago
I will look on with interest to see if anyone can help you.......I would never eat them when I was at home...dad always grew them........but i too would like to grow them. The only problem here is the regulations on bringing plants into the state. Tina
mercury12
20 years ago
Are they banned because they are a member of the oxalis family and that is a declared weed in WA?

Helen

ps I'm originally from WA and cant remember if oxalis was a declared weed
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OK, I've tried those: Oca didn't work for me last year -- as said in the various things I've read about it, it's a short day plant, and didn't start to form tubers until around October 1st, then, as I figured, frost got it. I did bring some of the pots into storage -- they have little tubers, so will regrow, but nothing big enough to eat. I think this year, I'm going to try throwing black cloth over the plants every night starting in August and see what that yields. Crosne, on the other hand, is easy. Treat it like the mint family plant that it is, give it rich, moist, loamy soil, and you'll get a good crop. The little tubers taste good, sort of like waterchestnuts, but they look kind of like some kind of big grub! The only problem I've found with it is that voles seem to love the taste of them, too. YACON -- ok, this one is a great plant, IMO -- gives big, sweet potato like tuberous roots that store really well, are sweet and crispy with a mild carrot flavor. Nice in stir fried dishes, salads, etc. Plant seems to be easy to grow, based on my 2 season with it, productive, easy to store the propagative tubers over the winter in the basement like I store dahlias and glads.
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mfwoodbridge
20 years ago
Oca will probably not grow well in Perth. Your daylength isn't right. You'll get only marble sized tubers, I think.

If you can get hold of a daylength-neutral type (I don't know if any are available in Aus), you might do OK... They don't tolerate temps over 28 degrees, so you might still struggle.

Manuel
carandbra
Original Author
20 years ago
There is a small section on Oca in the book, "The Garden Gurus - A Guide To Water Wise Gardening" by Trevor Cochran and Neville Passmore. This book is quite specific to WA gardening and conditions. I'd assume because there is a section on Oca, they can be successfully grown in at least some parts of WA and can be obtained locally. They also have a website www.thegardengurus.tv. I tried emailing this, but I got no reply - frustrating!
mercury12
20 years ago
I have some oca at home. if it isnt a weed then I could post you some.

If you guys in WA want some oca, please email your address and
I will send you some.

Helen
carandbra
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks Helen, but there are quarantine restrictions to stop the introduction of some diseases into WA. I don't think it's a "weed" issue.
carandbra
Original Author
20 years ago
I just checked on the Dept. of Agriculture WA website and it's not a declared weed in WA. I still have to check to see if there are any pest and disease quarantine restrictions.
chrish58
16 years ago
I did recieve some Tassie Oca, they survived 40 plus degrees in February but the frosts killed them in May
buccaneerhmorgan_gmail_com
15 years ago
Not Oca but on tams if it helps, many varieties grow in abundance in Jamaica and Japan.
kehanwell_gmail_com_au
15 years ago
can anybody supply tubers so i can try to grow them.Loved them in n.z.
Karen1711
13 years ago
Hi was just wondering if there is any further info on these Yams being obtained in WA.
vimaner
8 years ago
Hi all, just wondering if you got the Oca thing sorted and if they did get any tubers into WA...many thanks

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