Pachyrhizus erosus (jicama) is a tropical legume vine native to Mexico and Central America, grown for its edible crisp, sweet tuberous root. Seeds have a hard outer coat requiring pre-treatment.
Before sowing
Scarification
mecanica Nick or scratch seed coat with sandpaper or nail file to break hard outer coat
Soak
12 h Soak seeds overnight or 12-24 hours in warm water to improve germination
Mechanical scarification followed by warm water soaking significantly improves germination rates
Sowing
Substrate
Well-draining, fertile, sandy soil with pH 6.0-7.0
Depth
1cm
Temperature
24°C
Moisture
media
Container
Individual peat pots or seed-starting trays
What to expect
Step 1
Pre-treat the seed
Step 2
Sow at 1cm · 24°C
Day 5–12
Seedlings emerge
Tips
Bottom heat recommended for germination. Plant soil temperature should reach 70-80°F (21-27°C). Keep soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Germination is somewhat erratic ranging 1-3 weeks. Seeds must be fresh; old jicama seed loses vigor. Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost in cool climates.
Sources: Gardenia.net, PlantUse, PROSEA, Wikipedia, Taim.io, Boondie Seeds, Multiple scientific databases
