Yandina Community Gardens

You are here: Home / Archives for Permaculture

Yam Bean

By

Yam Bean (Jicama, Mexican Water Chestnut or Chop Suey Bean)Yam Bean (Web)

Pachyrrhizus erosus

Origin: hot, humid tropical Central America

Plant: Sept – Oct

Harvest: July – Aug.

It takes 4-7 months to maturity depending on day-length hours. At the time of maturity, the vines will flower and produce many inedible pods (the flowers are also inedible)

The Inedible Yam Beans
The Inedible Yam Beans

– the mature seed contains the poison, rotenone, used as an insecticide. Jicama’s starchy underground tuber is highly digestible and can be eaten raw or cooked, as there are no toxins associated with the tuber.  Jicama can be eaten raw – sliced into sticks and used as a crudité, dipped into raw chilli powder then dipped in lime juice. It can also be used grated in salads mixed with tropical fruits and a handful of coriander leaves. The tuber can also be lightly cooked after peeling, slicing and dicing – it tends to retain its crispness when cooked and is often used in stir fries as a substitute for water chestnut.

The dried vines are very strong and can be woven into fishing nets.

Yam

By

Yam (red and white, five-fingered yam, greater yam, lesser yam, aerial yam)Yam (Web)

Dioscorea family

Origin: hot, humid tropical Pacific Islands

Plant: mid-Sept to mid-Oct

Harvest: When all foliage has died down. Dig gently around the yam taking care not to damage it (cuts will reduce storage life).

Yams can be stored for several months in a cool ventilated area. Depending on the variety, yams can be baked, eaten with dark green leafy vegetables, fish, meat, peanuts and milk, used in curries, fried in oil, used to make a purple cake as well as purple yam wine, made into a dough, flour and African fufu.

 

Yacon

By

Yacon (aka yakon, sweet root or Peruvian Ground Apple)Yacon (Web)

Polymnia sonchifolia

Origin: wet, cool highlands of the Incas

Plant: Sept – Oct

Harvest: July – August

Small yellow sunflower-like flowers will appear at maturity. Harvest tubers when all the tops have died down but leave in the ground until at least mid to late winter as the flavour really does improve. Remove tubers carefully as they are brittle. It is a substitute for apple and can be eaten raw. Even with prolonged cooking, yacon stays crisp and it can be used as a substitute for water chestnuts in Asian stir-fries. The main components are fructose and inulin, making it a suitable food for diabetics. It is a good livestock forage crop.

 

Winged Bean

By

Winged Bean (aka four-angled bean)

Winged Bean (Web)Psophocarpus tetragonolobus syn. Goa Bean

Origin: hot, humid tropical Madagascar and Asia

Plant: Sept – Oct – into pots initially

Harvest: April – May. Young 4-angled pods with wavy margins can be picked for eating at any stage. Do not disturb the lilac flowers, as they fall off quite easily. Allow some of the first beans to mature on the vine for seed saving. Tubers contain 20% protein and taste like early season potatoes. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Young pods, flowers, leaves, vine tips and mature seed are all edible. To improve germination, sandpaper seeds or soak in hot water until swollen.

Turmeric

By

Turmeric (aka Indian Saffron, Yellow Ginger)

Turmeric (Web)Curcuma longa l.

Origin: hot, humid tropics of SE Asia and India

Plant: Oct – Dec when the rhizomes begin to sprout.

Harvest: June – Oct. Dig rhizomes up when the entire tops have died down.

They are pale yellow or a bright orange in colour. Leave in the ground until needed. Mark, where they are before the tops, have died down. If harvested, store in sawdust in styrene boxes. Like ginger and galangal, turmeric is a spice and can be added to any cooked vegetable dish. Grate turmeric with some onions and saute in hot oil. Raw, it has a pungent bite and can lift a salad. Used to colour rice and curry dishes and curry powder.  Makes a great ‘turmeric, galangal and chilli paste’.

Categories

Tags

-Featured Aibika beekeeping chickens Community Garden composting edible corm edible fruit edible leaves edible rhizomes edible tuber edible tubers events frog ponds frogs fruit fruit tree Garden Tour Good Health ground cover Hive splitting know your plants Learning legume Lemongrass Living sustainably medicinal plants member event native stingless bees nitrogen fixer Permaculture Pigeon Pea plants Recipe Rosella jam support species Sustainable Home sustainable living Tim Heard water plant Workshop workshops Worm Farming Yandina Community Garden Yandina community Gardens

Our Supporters

Rockcote (cob oven)
Nutritech Solutions
Yandina Feed Barn
Permaculture Noosa
Jeffers Wholesome Foods  

Permaculture People

Elizabeth Fekonia - Permaculture Real Food
Morag Gamble - Our Permaculture Life
Dee Humphreys - Eatin Garden Edible Garden Tours

NEWSLETTER