Jicama is a leguminous vine from Central America that grows a crisp edible genus Tuber . While by nature jicama is a perennial , it ’s mostly grown as an yearly because the antecedent is jab up and harvest each yr . The tuber is eaten bare-ass or cooked and tastes similar to a piddle chestnut tree . jicama is a pop weight loss solid food because of its eminent water supply content and low calories .
Planting Jicama
This tropical industrial plant loves the Dominicus , and full-bodied loamy or arenaceous land . machinate a planting bed , or it can also go in a prominent container . quiz the dirt with a pH scale cadence for acidity . Jicama prefers alkaline soils with a pH above 7 . A lilliputian baking soda apply to the open can provoke the pH of your soil if it ’s necessary .
Soak jicama seed in weewee for 24 hour before planting . Seeds require warm temperature to spud , so put the planting tray on a heating system digs or in a het up orbit .
In the tropical zone , inseminate jicama semen anytime . Keep them well water and in a warm localization . In cooler areas , seed seed indoors or in a climate controlled glasshouse 8 - 9 workweek before the last hoarfrost in your realm .
Planting Checklist for Jicama
Plant Care
Keep soil medium - moist . This means that it ’s okay if the surface feels ironical , only water when it feels dry beneath the soil surface . plant life can be acclimatize and transplanted alfresco once the weather condition shows no danger of frost .
Jicama is a vine , so it demand staking to climb up as it lengthen . send a Lycopersicon esculentum stake next to the growing vine and secure it to the bet with twine or garden tape . Keep the ties unaffixed , you do n’t need to risk damaging the plant .
Jicama plants produce beautiful pea plant - like purple flowers . unluckily , to get the most tuber output they should be removed . The flowers and seeds of the jicama plants are highly toxic . They can be harmful to wildlife , children , and pet so it is best to invalidate producing and scattering them .
A irrefutable aspect of the vine being venomous is that it does not have many pest issues . There is seldom a need to occupy about bugs damaging jicama .
Harvesting Jicama
reap the Tuber before the first hoar in the drop . You want to wait as long as potential , but not risk them molder in the ground . Tubers should be between 3 - 6 inches in diameter . If a vine show signs of dry , browning , or choke then go ahead and reap it .
Do n’t store jicama roots in the icebox . In fact , do n’t store them anywhere temperatures will drop below 50 ° F ( 10 ° C ) . A base cellar is an idealistic position to store jicama tubers .
