How to Grow Macas UK
On this page
In the UK, maca goes in the ground early March to early May.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: sowing early March, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.
The short answer
- Plant
- Early March to early May
- Site
- soil pH 6.5–7.5
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Maca (Lepidium meyenii)
3 sources cited · Verified
When to Plant Macas in the UK
When to plant macas in the UK: in Southern England, sow early March to early May. Find your area in the table below.
Quick Facts
At a Glance
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
Harvest & Storage
Pests
Maca, the Highest-Altitude Cultivated Crop
Plan your Macas planting
When to sow and plant Macas depends on your own frost dates. Check the UK vegetable planting calendar. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.
Growing Maca in another region
Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.
References
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A specialist Andean-crop nursery/grower guide, used as the primary source as no RHS or equivalent authority growing profile exists for this high-altitude Andean crop, explicitly disclosed. 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 60°F 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 35-38°F with 90%+ humidity for up to 2 months; dried roots keep for several years, traditionally sun-dried then stored in cloth bags.
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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 12-18°C, tolerating 3-22°C. 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.
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Mirrors FAO Ecocrop. Fetched and parsed directly for the numeric soil pH range.
3 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I sow maca in the UK?
In Southern England, from early March. In Scotland, wait until early March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow maca?
Sow early March to early May.
What soil pH does maca need?
A pH of about 6.5–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
Get the UK Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for UK growing conditions
How this guide is put together
The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against RHS and Met Office guidance. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.
Last verified 2026-08-29
Plan Macas by month
The months this guide gives for sowing or planting, each with the full list of jobs for that month in the UK:
More from the same group (roots & tubers):
Growing advice for your part of the UK
Timing and conditions change a lot inside one country. These guides cover frost dates and growing seasons region by region.
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Keep going
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.