The Latest Dirt - May 2024

Growing Vegetables in Peru

Article & Photos By Anne Sutherland

My honey and I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime in Peru and the Galapagos. To our delight, biodiversity specialist Maywa Blanco talked about Peru’s many varieties of potatoes and corn when we were in Cusco. There is a seed library in Lima to ensure that these varieties are maintained.

After earning a Fulbright Scholarship to study at Michigan State University, Maywa began working with indigenous populations in the Andes mountains. We saw many Peruvians selling beautiful fruits and vegetables on street corners throughout the country. While the government provides schooling and health care, for many Peruvians, selling produce or dry goods is the only way of obtaining cash for their other needs.

 Pre-Incan and Incan peoples built sophisticated terraces on the steep mountainsides to cultivate potatoes, corn, beans, and other staples. They were masters at masonry and built extensive stone irrigation systems, which they passed on to different tribes and generations.

Much of the Andes has two seasons: Wet (and warm – October to May) and Dry (and cool – June to September). Because of the many microclimates in the Andes, some produce grows well on higher terraces and others on lower terraces. Weather patterns being what they are; some seasons are wetter or drier than expected. There were potatoes and corn that tolerated wetness and potatoes and corn that tolerated dryness. Thanks to the extensive cultivation of these and other crops, there was always food to eat.

Early Andeans divide themselves loosely into two primary cultures, Mestizo and Indigenous. * Indigenous words for the three main types of tubers are Mashwa or Isaño (Tropaeolum tuberosum), Oca (Oxalis tuberosa) and Olluco (Ullucus tuberosus). Four varieties of potato could be dried and preserved for use in off-seasons. Drying the wrong potato variety rendered it inedible!

Peruvians ate Alpaca, fish, and guinea pig, but they were scarce (llama meat is much too tough to eat). The Chinese and the Spanish introduced chickens, which were probably not indigenous. Quinoa is a delicious grain high in protein and vitamins, and its extensive cultivation and other produce provide nearly complete nourishment.

Peru is large and has 28 of the world’s 32 climates. Its three main climate zones are the coastal desert, the Andes mountains, and the Amazon rainforest. The cold waters of the Humboldt Current, originating near Antarctica, produce a fog called garua, which provides life-giving moisture to the coastal desert. It also provides nourishment for marine life. Thus, many different tropical and subtropical fruits abound, including avocado, citrus, papaya, guava, passionfruit, and the unfamiliar, such as the tree tomato (Solanum betaceum).

Purple foods such as corn and potatoes are rich in healthful polyphenols and anthocyanins and taste delicious. Giant Inca corn is typically roasted and very sweet. Canchita is a popular variety that is popped and eaten plain, sugared, or in ceviche. I encourage my Master Gardener colleagues to try growing unusual types of potatoes and corn.

¡Buen provecho! +

*Of interest, peoples of African and Chinese extraction worked the mines years ago, and their descendants are a well-integrated part of Peru.

+Enjoy your meal