Harvesting & Storage

Parts of the plant that are harvested

• edible root is crunchy and mild
• the tap root is a heart-shaped tuber with white flesh and brown skin
• leaves and ripe pods are poisonous

Days to harvest

• plant reaches maturity at about 150 days, so the tubers will be forming after that

Cues to harvest

• the tuber develops after the vine is done flowering
• roots enlarge in fall as days begin to grow shorter, but it still needs warmth to produce a good crop
• harvest before first frost, or if there's no frost in your area, you can leave them in the ground until needed

Methods of harvest

• dig up the root

Storage of harvest

• stores very well fresh
• if there's no frost in your area, you can leave the root in the ground
• similar to potatoes; keep cool and don't peel before storage
• store dry, between 53 and 60 degrees F; do not refrigerate; will keep 30-60 days this way

Sources

Footnote	KSC	SWGB	WIKI
Title	True Jicama Seed #222	Sunset Western Garden Book	Pachyrhizus erosus
Author(s)	Kitazawa Seed Co.	Kathleen Brenzel	Wikipedia
Buy Now	Seed packet containing 20-25 seeds: $3.49
Copywrite	2011	8th Edition, 2007	2011