Pachyrhizus erosus
YAM-JICAMA-(YEE KARMA)-CLIMBER produces tall climbing vines & a white turnip-shaped root that tastes like water chestnuts. The Jicama plant is a vine which grows to a length of 6mt or more. The roots are light brown in colour & only 1 root forms per plant. Store in a cool dry place after harvest. Crunchy & mild. A relative of the sweet potato, this tuber is not very uniform. (Ripe seed pods & leaves are toxic.) Jicama plants sprouted in the late spring tend to produce extremely robust tubers by the winter, while those planted in the summer produce the most flavourful ones, although they are somewhat smaller. Jicama produces a natural insecticide in the above ground vine, meaning that the plant protects itself from harmful pests.
Very lightly file the edges of your seed with an emery board or fine sandpaper so that a very small amount of the seed coat edge is sanded away then soak the seeds overnight in warm water (about 8 hours). Plant seeds 2.5cm deep every 7mt. Requires sunny area in the garden and allow room for vines to spread. Requires a well-prepared soil. Use general purpose fertilizer when preparing the soil. Seeds require warmth to germinate. Germination: 12-18 days at 21°C.