Helianthus Tuberosus
More commonly known as Jerusalem artichoke, but also ground pear, Jerusalem artichoke, etc., this plant native to North America is part of the Asteraceae family, like sunflowers. They also have a beautiful yellow flowering in common, even if the Jerusalem artichoke flowers are smaller than those of the sunflower.
Small historical point
The Jerusalem artichoke is arrived in France in the early 1600s, before the potato. Its hardiness, the ease of its cultivation and the abundance of tubers it produces made it successful. But a few decades later, it was left aside in favor of the potato.
It was only during the Second World War that its cultivation experienced renewed energy, because the potato was requisitioned by the Germans and replaced it. Jerusalem artichoke retained a bad reputation during these difficult years, because in the popular mind it was associated with famine and war, and was, once again, dethroned by the potato.
But all that is now a long way away and Jerusalem artichoke is returning to our plates alongside potatoes.
Features
With a taste reminiscent of artichoke, water chestnut and salsify, Jerusalem artichoke is rich in potassium and fiber. Like the potato, this plant produces tubers that must be dug up to eat them raw or cooked. Jerusalem artichoke comes in more than 70 varieties which differ in color, but also in flavor. Let’s get to know Jerusalem artichoke better:
- Tubers: by their knotty appearance, they do not fail to evoke ginger roots. They are covered with skin ranging in color from white-beige to purplish-red depending on the variety. The flesh, for its part, can range from pink to light beige depending on the variety.
- Stems: reddish, rough, hairy and hollow, they can reach 2 to 2.5 meters high.
- Leaves : the foliage is deciduous.
- Flowers: they resemble those of the sunflower.
- Type of plant: Jerusalem artichoke is a rhizomatous, hardy and perennial plant, which is often considered invasive due to its great capacity to multiply. This is why it is recommended to reserve a specific corner for your culture.
Jerusalem artichoke: its needs
Even though growing Jerusalem artichoke is easy, here are some points to take into account to be sure of success:
- Hardy, Jerusalem artichoke can withstand temperatures down to -15°C. As a result, it tolerates frosts and can be grown almost all year round. It also tolerates drought.
- Choose a sunny locationbut if you only have a location in partial shade to offer him, he will be happy with it.
- It is interesting to grow it alongside plants that need shade.but it can also be used as a windbreak hedge.
- Even if it is not demanding, it prefers light, rich and well-drained soils. Like many other tuber plants, excess moisture can cause its roots to rot.
- When preparing the planting space, it is possible toadd good compost.
- Do you want to grow it in a pot? Know that it is entirely possible, but for this, favor dwarf varieties.
- After growing Jerusalem artichokes on a plot, wait between 3 to 4 years before starting againr, because being greedy in nitrogen, the Jerusalem artichoke depletes the earth.
- It is a winter vegetable. It is one of the last to be harvested in the vegetable garden, from November to March.
How to plant Jerusalem artichokes?
To grow Jerusalem artichokes, nothing could be simpler:
- Prepare the area that will accommodate them. To do this, aerate the soil and eliminate any weed plants. If your soil has never been worked, it may be necessary to dig.
- Place the Jerusalem artichoke tubers about 10 cm deep leaving a space of approximately 50 cm between each. The rows, for their part, must be spaced approximately 70 cm apart.
- Once the tubers are planted, cover the rows with soil, without packing them down.
When to plant Jerusalem artichokes?
Planting generally takes place between March and April. However, you can plant Jerusalem artichokes almost all year round since the other possible planting periods are between the end of February and June, but also in September.
Care of Jerusalem artichokes
In addition to being easy, growing Jerusalem artichokes requires almost no maintenance. Maintenance comes down to hoeing the soil and watering regularly. To further limit this maintenance, you can also:
- install mulch which will keep the soil moist, limit the development of weed plants and protect the soil for easier harvesting in winter.
- sow white clover in empty spaces to limit the appearance of weeds, without forgetting that it is a green manure which will be favorable to the development of these tubers.
- hill the stems when they reach 20 cm high. This will allow them to be better anchored in the ground and better resist the wind. You can also use tutors.
Cultural association
Jerusalem artichokes generate a lot of shade due to their height and can therefore be grown near plants that will benefit from their shade during sunny days, such as spinach, salads, etc.
Diseases and pests
This vigorous plant is fairly disease resistant. Here’s what you need to be wary of:
- Be sure to keep away snails and slugs which are fond of young shoots.
- Also watch out for rabbits, field mice and other rodents which can devour the crop during the winter.
- To protect them from aphids, sow nasturtiums nearby.
- When watering, avoid wetting the leaves to limit the development of powdery mildew. However, even if powdery mildew affects the foliage, it does not impact the harvest.
Jerusalem artichoke harvest
7 months after planting, you can start harvesting the tubers. After their harvest, tubers must be prepared quickly. This perennial plant can be left in the ground throughout the winter, it is recommended to harvest as needed. Uprooting the tubers can begin after the first frosts, when the foliage blackens.
To do this :
- Lift the tubers with a fork, being careful not to damage them.
- Once out of the ground, remove the soil covering them using a brush.
- Store the tubers in a cool, dry, dimly lit room.
- The tubers remaining in the ground will leave again the following spring. This is the reason why this culture can be considered invasive.