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Lepidium mayenii Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses Cultivation Notes: The plant is said to deplete the soil in which it is grown. In S. America it is grown on a 10 year rotation, leaving the fields fallow for the next nine years to recover before their next crop[196]. It is most likely that the problem lies with the nutrient-poor and fragile soils that the plant is usually grown in, rather than the greed of the plant[196]. Plants grow in areas where frosts are common throughout the growing season and they are said to tolerate temperatures down to at least -10°, perhaps to -20°c if given a good mulch[196]. The main problem with growing them in the British climate is that they might need the rarified heights of the Andes with thinner air and more intense solar radiation. It is quite likely that they will be unhappy in the moist and relatively sunless climate of this country[K]. Cultivated as a vegetable in the Andes of S. America[61], this species is probably grown at higher elevations than any other cultivated food crop[196]. There are some named forms[196]. The roots are usually harvested 6 - 7 months after sowing the seed, though they can take 9 months to mature[196]. Yields of 20 tonnes per hectare are possible[196]. Plants are self-fertile[196]. They are also quite possibly allelopathic (inhibiting the growth of nearby plants)[196]. For further Lepidium mayenii gardening information |
