Tropaeolum tuberosum
Mashua
Common names: tuberous nasturtium, Ysaño
Photo: Håkan Svensson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Mashua originates from the Andes and is a climbing relative of the nasturtium. *Tropaeolum tuberosum* produces long stems with attractive yellow‑orange flowers and yields edible tubers underground in late autumn. The plant is short‑day dependent, meaning it only starts to develop properly with the shorter autumn days and then quickly forms tubers. In a small garden it therefore needs a long frost‑free season and a trellis to climb on. Raw tubers taste sharp like nasturtium; cooked they become milder and slightly sweet.
Care instructions
Plant the tubers in mid‑May (week 20) once late frosts are no longer a threat, in loose, humus‑rich soil. Provide a trellis or fence immediately, as the stems can reach 2 to 4 m and will otherwise find their own way. Keep the soil evenly moist, especially during dry summer weeks, and mulch the root zone to prevent drying out. Slightly mound the soil in late summer, which promotes tuber formation. Harvest only after the first light frosts at the end of October or early November, when the foliage has died back; the tubers themselves tolerate light frost in the soil well and become even milder in flavor.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, sandy
Feeding
Medium feeder
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