Select your climate zone New Zealand - sub-tropical New Zealand - temperate What is my climate zone?

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(Best months for planting Yam/Oka in New Zealand - sub-tropical regions)

• Harvest in 105-140 days
• Tubers. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 17°C and 35°C.
• Space plants: 30-45cm

Frost tender. Yams needs a long growing time to produce the tubers.

Not suitable for areas of early Autumn (Fall) frosts.

Planting needs similar to potatoes. Yams can handle more shade than potatoes. Earthing up will help increase production.

The leaves look rather like clover. Dig up after the plant dies down and leave outside for a few days to dry.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Yam/Oka

Scrub and boil or roast with other vegetables.

Your comments and tips

04 Nov 09 Benjamin (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I always start my yams in the worm farm. The atmosphere inside there seems to be ideal for getting them underway most anytime of the year! Something to consider.

23 Nov 09 Kaye (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I would like to bring yams back to Italy to grow and will be in NZ at Xmas (Hamilton) does anyone know where I can buy them and if I can buy seeds?

25 May 10 Pat (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

First time I have planted yams. Just harvested heaps but small. Read the comments on this site and have learnt they need to be mounded up like potatoes. Thanks guys for the advise. Looking forward to a better crop next year.

26 Jun 10 Rob Hammington (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have just started growing (in Hamilton, NZ) a special heritage yam for the Koanga Institute. My first crop has just been harvested on 25 June 2010. Koanga is committed to saving heritage seeds, amongst other goals and ideals. If you join Koanga, you will likely be able to buy some yams to grow yourself. It will be the best organisation you have ever belonged to!!

30 Aug 10 Jackie (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

For planting oca do you plant the whole sprouting tuber, or can you grow sprouts in a tapapa bed like kumara tipu?

12 Sep 10 (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Jackie, plant the whole tuber, otherwise it is likely to rot before producing any growth.

01 May 11 Bryan (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Can anybody tell me if I can compost the leafy parts and the bits and pieces off yam plants or will they grow in the compost bin and spread to my garden

22 May 11 Diane Torenburg (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have just harvested ny first ever crop of yams- in a barrel and in 10L buckets. What an easy vegetable to grow in Wellington. Not sure if I can put remains in the compost or not and am careful not to let the tubers grow any old where as I gather they spread like wildfire.

11 Sep 11 Irene (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have seen very large yams in shops - much larger than I have grown - what fertilizer do they like?

12 Sep 11 Irene (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Peter asked for help with his garlic. I had some that yellowed one year and gave them nitrophoska blue and they came right. I think you have actually put them in too early. They do better in Sept.