[tippben]

The tubers a lovely member sent me have grown abundantly. The leaves and stalks have finally failed, are a light yellow colour, and are degenerating into mush. I'm minded to cut them all off and compost them. When should I inspect the crop?

[Kim]

As you have had no other reply yet...

The tubers should be ready now. I lifted our first ones a few weeks ago. I will leave ours in the ground and harvest as needed, but if you are in a cold spot it would be best to lift them all. I did see slug damage on mine and it would be better to lift them.

[Good guy]

I'll lift some of mine, too. Any favourite recipes for them, anyone?

[Kim]

I don't do anything much with them. I just bake / roast them in the oven with other vegetables.

I was given a couple of tubers a good few years ago and they grow like weeds in the vegetable patch. I use them to fill in gaps in other crops, this year I had a few gaps in the parsnip bed, I transplanted the oca (that comes up from tubers left in the ground) into the spaces. I only grow them because I usually do my best to care for plants I am given. For feeding a family Turnips, parsnips and carrots go so much further!

I think oca would be fine in stir-fries or boiled / steamed / mashed too, I expect a good cook could do a lot with them,

[Sneachta]

Hi tippben, sounds like they were definitely ready for lifting. Hope you got a decent crop.
You can boil them or blanch them in boiling water for a couple of mins then bake in the oven with a little olive oil. Very delish, they can also be sliced up and used in stir fries.