The Great Chufa Experiment - Pics!

[wifezilla]

I just place an order for Chufa from Wammock's.

http://www.wammocks.com/Chufas-1-lb-CHFA-1.htm

It is supposed to be a good feed for ducks as well as something tasty people can eat.

I don't have a lot of growing space so I am trying to figure out where to put it. This might have to be a container plant.

Anyone else growing this?

 

[hoodat]

They look like what we used to call Indian wild potatos.

 

[mrsengeseth]

i have never even heard of it before. But I'm game. I'll give it a go in a container too. I wonder if chickens would like it...

 

[hoodat]

i have never even heard of it before. But I'm game. I'll give it a go in a container too. I wonder if chickens would like it...

Be careful. It can turn into a very invasive garden weed that is very difficult to eliminate.

 

[wifezilla]

I got my order in good time from Wammocks. Wow. Did I get carried away with the order 4 lbs? I am insane. The chufa came in a paper bag stapled shut at the top. No instructions or directions. I guess they are set up for people who use them for big plots and plant using a peanut planter. Not a home gardener looking to get some extra productivity and critter food out of their little suburban plot.

I have some dried chufa tubers soaking to plump em up and check their sprouting level.

Even if they don't sprout, I ate one of the plumped up ones yesterday and they are DELICIOUS! Kind of like a cross between coconut and almond.

Hard to believe such an ugly little tuber has so much flavor!

Growing instructions online, like I said earlier, are NOT targeted to the home gardener. I am going to have to wing it. One site said to soak for 24 hours before planting. That makes sense. All places that list planting directed say to plant them 2" deep, so that I will do.

I haven't tested them on my ducks and quail yet. I will put some more in water to reconstitute them and then test them on the critters. I can't see giving them the dried one because they are as hard as a rock. Wildlife management sites say ducks normally eat these in areas that flood in winter so they would be eating them wet anyway. Quail would be scratching up fresh tubers too and I don't think they could peck the hard dried ones.

 

[Ariel301]

Those sound tasty. I want to try some now!

 

[wifezilla]

I planted a few areas with chufa. Not expecting to see plants for a while, but the ones I didn't have room for that I still had in a jar HAVE sprouted. So my little dry tubers are OBVIOUSLY viable.

I put a bunch in the ground in one bed and used it like a border plant. Since I will be growing tomatoes behind them, I shouldn't have any trouble with light blocking. Chufa is just a tall grass.

As for the container option, I am putting some in the pond growing system. Since they grow in wetter areas, that should work well.

As for it being invasive, chufa isn't. It's relatives are.

"There are a number of references in scientific literature and on the Internet to yellow nutsedge and its relationship to chufa. Both are the same species but they are very different variants. Generally, most authorities agree that the weedy, invasive type (yellow nutsedge) is Cyperus esculentus var. esculentus, and the cultivated, non-invasive variety (chufa) is Cyperus esculentus var. sativus.

Research by Dr. Andrew Dyer at the University of South Carolina (Aiken branch) has shown that the two variants are quite different in physiology and reproductive capability. Nutsedge produces a widespread network of tubers and roots and chufa produces a compact ball of tubers directly under the center of the leaves. Nutsedge flowers early in the summer, and chufa, if it flowers at all, does so in late summer or early fall. This means the likelihood of hybridization is near zero.

Dyer has suggested that the two variants are so different that they may deserve distinct species status. Nutsedge is also invasive, spreading quickly if introduced. Chufa will not spread from a planting site, and in fact, since it does not compete well with other vegetation, will quickly die out if not maintained."

 

[wifezilla]

The chufa is growing well. It just looks like a pointy decorative grass. It hasn't minded our weird weather one bit. It doesn't seem to be bothering nearby plants at all. We had a few hard rains and some soil got washed away from the tops of one of the plants and there were some nice, plump chufa nuts peeking through the ground. I am so excited!

Since it appears I will have a plentiful chufa harvest, I guess I should start gathering recipes! Found this article in MEN that lists some good ideas...
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1981-05-01/Mothers-Herb-Garden-Chufa.aspx?page=2

Of course I can always make Horchata de Chufa...
http://www.chufa.com/horchata_de_chufa.htm

 

[dipence71]

Do you have pictures of it? I planted some of what you sent me and due to all the rain the garden got taken over by weeds lol... I am slowly digging out my garden and have no idea what to look for for the chufa..... I cant tell it from regular weeds....

:tools I did find 3 rows of green beans and picked at least one good mess to cook up yummyyy ..... ALL was not lost!!!

 

[wifezilla]

I'll snap some pics when I go on break