Planting Jerusalem Artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes, or Sunchokes, are new to me. I was just introduced to them recently and really like the flavor and texture. It is very similar to a water chestnut and can be cooked like a potato or eaten raw. The benefit to this tuber is that it does not contain or turn to starch. So I decided to try to buy some and discovered that they are hard to find. Solution....grow my own.

I finally found them at a local natural foods store which is very similar to Trader Joe's. The chokes were organic and not treated so I bought a few extra to plant. Like a potato, they sprout eyes so I found a few that were growing.

After some web searching, I found that they are even easier to grow then potatoes. They will grow in most soil and light conditions but do best in full sun. They grow very tall and flower very much like a sunflower. For more tubers you should clip the blooms off. They can be invasive and should be planted in their own corner of the garden or a container. Harvest in the late fall and through early winter before the ground freezes. Leave some in the ground for next years crop. Storage is short and should be kept moist but not soggy.

I have limited garden space, so I have chosen to plant them in an old recycle bin. It is the perfect size and already has drainage holes. My soil is a mix of one part compost, one part peat moss and one part vermiculite and perlite mixed. I am planting six tubers evenly spaced in this container with four inches of soil mix on the bottom and four or five inches of soil mix to cover them. I may add more soil once they start growing. Water and place in a sunny location. Can't wait to see the results.

Hopefully you can try this "new to me" tuber too.
Happy Gardening!