I bought some yam tubers a few weeks ago for the sole purpose of consumption. After consuming some of the tubers, my household and I had a reason to stay away from the house for a couple of days, 10 days to be precise. The implication is that all our foodstuffs were left untouched for the entire duration. By the time we returned to the house, the image below is the sight that greeted me from the kitchen where the yam tubers were kept.
Apparently, this could not have happened within a period of 10 days. According to my wife, she has noticed some leaf buds on the yam long before we traveled. The growth process just seemed to have accelerated while we were away. Of course, this is understandable if the normal growth curve of living organisms is considered.
We were a bit confused as to what to do with the tuber. Do we just remove the bud and consume the tuber normally? Is it really safe to do so? Before taking a decision, I decided to consult with ChatGPT and see what's in stock:
Question: The yam tuber I left in my kitchen germinated and started growing. Can I still consume it?
ChatGPT's Response: If the yam tuber has already started growing and has sprouted, it is best not to consume it as it may have undergone significant changes in its nutritional composition and flavor profile. The growth of the sprouts indicates that the yam is no longer in its optimal state for consumption.
Moreover, consuming a sprouted yam tuber may cause digestive discomfort and other health problems, as sprouting can lead to the formation of toxins and anti-nutrients, which can interfere with nutrient absorption and cause gastrointestinal issues.
Instead of consuming a sprouted yam tuber, you can use it for planting if you have a suitable growing environment. Yams are known to be easy to propagate by planting the sprouted tubers. Alternatively, you can compost the sprouted yam tuber or dispose of it as organic waste.
Even though ChatGPT is known to sometime return answers that are not correct or 100% verifiable, as someone with a science background, Botany to be precise, the response is 100% scientifically plausible. The growth of propagules has everything to do with physiological changes to the nutritional and chemical composition of the propagules. The propagule in this case is the yam tuber.
Moving forward, I decided to adopt one of the pieces of advice given by the AI, even though this is something I had been considering myself. I decided to plant the tuber, but not all of it. I removed a large chunk together with the growing bud and decided to cook the rest and see how it goes. I wasn't going to allow $2 yam to go like that without putting up a fight.
I headed straight to my backyard garden and made a heap because planting tubers on a heap comes highly recommended for optimal yield.
Next is the planting of the seed in the heap. I carefully opened up the heap, and placed the yam seed inside it while allowing the already-growing vine to remain above ground.
I was not so optimistic about the success of this planting, basically because the planting season for yam, as far as the climate around here is concerned, has passed. Also, the rain has been poor and largely unpredictable. My best bet is that the seed will just pick up from the already-growing vine and resume its normal vegetative growth after getting acclimatized to its new environment, provided there will be adequate rain.
I gave it close monitoring to see any sign of growth. After a few days of consecutive observation without any sign of continued growth of the vine. I got tired and decided to give it a break. About 3 weeks after planting and just when I was about to lose hope totally, things turned positive.
Now that the germination experiment seems like a success, the next would be to monitor the growth of the vine, provide it with the necessary support, and know when to harvest. Since this is my first time planting yam, I decided to ask the AI again about the life cycle of yam.
Question: how many months does it take yam to grow to maturity and be ready for harvest?
ChatGPT's response: The time it takes for yams to mature and be ready for harvest can vary depending on the variety of yam and growing conditions. On average, yams take between 7 to 12 months to mature and be ready for harvest after they have been planted. Some varieties may take longer or shorter periods to mature, and the growing conditions such as soil fertility, temperature, moisture, and sunlight can also affect the growth rate and yield.
To determine if yams are ready for harvest, check the size of the tubers and the foliage of the plant. Mature yams are usually large and have a firm texture, while the foliage of the plant begins to turn yellow and wilt. It is important to harvest yams at the right time, as leaving them in the ground for too long can reduce their quality and affect their storage life.
What do you think?
This is one sure way to start a garden! lol I have had Garlic do the same thing, and ofcourse potatoes. BTW that soil looks amazing!
I currently have the same issue with some ginger kept in my kitchen.
Indeed. It has been lying fallow for a few years now.
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