When to sow Oca in the UK
Oca is frost-tender, so the right week to sow it depends on where in the UK you garden.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Oca is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late February to late March | mid April to early May | late August to mid October |
| South Coast and Channel | early March to late March | late April to early May | early September to late October |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late February to late March | mid April to early May | late August to mid October |
| South East and Home Counties | late March to mid April | early May to late May | mid September to early November |
| East Anglia | late March to mid April | mid May to late May | late September to mid November |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early April to late April | late May to early June | early October to late November |
| Wales and West Coast | late March to mid April | early May to late May | mid September to early November |
| Northern England | mid April to early May | late May to mid June | early October to late November |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | mid April to early May | early June to mid June | mid October to early December |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early May to late May | late June to mid July | early November to late December |
| Northern Ireland | late March to mid April | mid May to late May | late September to mid November |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late February to mid March | mid April to late April | late August to early October |
Growing notes
Also called New Zealand yam: start tubers in 10-15cm pots indoors in April and plant out after the last frost in late May or early June. Tubers only form as the days shorten, so do not lift before October and expect to wait until the foliage is frosted; container growing lets you move plants under cover to finish the crop.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 30 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 60 cm
- Plants per m²
- 4
- Days to maturity
- 150 days
- Yield per plant
- 0.5 kg
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 30 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- frost killing the foliage early
- tubers rotting in cold wet soil
- slugs
- small yields in a short season
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for oca.