How to Grow Macas | Complete Growing Guide

At a Glance

Quick Facts

Soil & Growing Conditions

Water: consistent moisture, but good drainage -- long exposure to sodden soil degrades root quality (Cultivariable)

Growth Stages

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Harvest after a hard freeze kills the top growth -- roots are quite frost-resistant even as growth slows. Best roots are 1-2in diameter; smaller roots taste superior, with less fibre, than larger ones. Requires 5-10 months from sowing for harvestable roots (Cultivariable).

Pests

Maca, the Highest-Altitude Cultivated Crop

Grown higher than any other food crop

Maca grows exclusively in the central Andes between 4000 and 4500m altitude -- probably the highest-elevation cultivated food crop in the world (peer-reviewed research, NCBI).

A turnip-like root, not a true root

Maca's edible part is technically a bulbous hypocotyl, not a true root, resembling a turnip or radish, occurring in yellow, red or black landraces (Cultivariable).

Full sun is essential

Cultivariable: maca needs a full dose of sunlight to produce a good size root -- shade noticeably reduces yield.

Harvest after the first hard freeze

Cultivariable: maca is quite frost-resistant, but a hard freeze eventually kills the tops -- that's the signal it's time to harvest.

Dried for years-long storage

Cultivariable: dried maca roots can be stored for several years, traditionally sun-dried and kept in cloth bags.

References

1. Cultivariable -- Tier 2, specialist Andean-crop nursery/grower guide, used as the primary source as no RHS or dedicated Tier-1 growing profile exists for this high-altitude Andean crop, explicitly disclosed - Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

   A small root crop (technically a bulbous hypocotyl) resembling turnips or radishes, 1-3 inches in diameter, in yellow, red or black (dark purple) landraces. Flavour combines pungent and sweet notes, "like a radish dipped in butterscotch"; leaves are also edible, spicy and cress-like. Native to the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia at elevations up to 14,108 feet, in a natural environment ranging from below freezing to 60F with frequent frosts and an 8-month wet season; quite resistant to frost, though growth slows considerably in cold weather. USDA zones 7b+ recommended outdoors. Requires full sunlight -- shade reduces root size. Prefers near-neutral pH soil with abundant organic matter and good drainage while maintaining consistent moisture; can tolerate very poor soil but performs better well-amended. Sow by scattering on the soil surface and pressing in; germinates in two to three weeks; March sowing for Pacific Northwest harvests, spring sowing for zones colder than 7b, fall sowing possible in frost-free regions. Thin to 6in spacing with regular water or 10in in dry conditions. Requires 5-10 months for harvestable roots, another 10-15 weeks for seed, about 8-9 months before flowering. Harvest after a hard freeze kills the tops; best roots are 1-2in diameter, smaller roots tasting superior with less fibre than larger ones. Very little insect interest observed, though crickets caused damage in Portugal; birds and rodents threaten young plants. No obvious signs of disease reported in available growing records. Short-term storage at 35-38F with 90%+ humidity for up to 2 months; dried roots keep for several years, traditionally sun-dried then stored in cloth bags.

2. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI/PMC), peer-reviewed - Physiological responses of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) plants to UV radiation in its high-altitude mountain ecosystem

   Maca is a Peruvian plant of the Brassicaceae family cultivated for more than 2000 years, growing exclusively in the central Andes between 4000 and 4500m altitude -- probably grown at higher elevations than any other cultivated food crop, in an inhospitable region of intense sunlight, violent winds and below-freezing weather. Best annual daytime temperatures 12-18C, tolerating 3-22C. Farmers traditionally sow when the rainy season begins in October; seedlings emerge after one month; the hypocotyl is ready for harvest after a further 260-280 days.

2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.