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Jerusalem Artichokes
One of the few vegetables which provide a crop through winter to early
spring. The Jerusalem Artichoke will grow in poor soils, even shade and still
produce a good winter crop of roots. They are high in iron and a source of fibre,
vitamin C and potassium. To top it off, the tubers store well in the ground long
after the foliage has been decimated by frost.
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE QUICK GUIDE
Folklore and Facts
Click here
.
Latin Name
Helianthus tuberosus
Type
Perennial grown for its edible tubers.
Site and Soil
They prefer a light, reasonably fertile soil in
full sun. However, they will grow almost anywhere, even shade.
Plant to Harvest Time 9 months
Site and Soil Jerusalem Artichokes will grow in almost any position and soil but they have preferences which will produce a top quality crop. They prefer a medium weight soil which is reasonably fertile. Don't feed them very often though because that will only encourage foliage and flowers at the expense of the root vegetables.
Planting Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers Head down to your local greengrocer to buy your tubers. You can grow specific varieties which can be ordered from specialist suppliers but it's not necessary and the suppliers are hard to find.
If the tubers are large, then chop them into 5cm (2in) lengths making sure that each portion contains at least two buds.
Care for Jerusalem Artichokes
One of the easiest vegetables to care for, they almost look after themselves. The key point with Jerusalem artichokes id the height they reach. In open and windy areas the plants can easily be blown over.
When the plants are about 30cm (12in) high draw up soil around the stems to help the roots secure the plant to the soil. When the plants reach about 2m (6ft) high you can chop off the top 30cm (1ft) of the foliage to help the plants withstand any wind better.
Harvesting When the first frost hits the foliage will start to die off. Cut back the stems to about 15cm (6in) high and put them on the compost heap. The tubers in the ground will store there with no help needed from you. Simply dig up the roots as and when they are needed. If you are in a very cold area then cover the soil above the roots with with bracken, straw or similar to lengthen the life of the roots.
Pest and Disease
The most common pest is the slug. Click
here
for our page on how to deal with slugs in your garden. Click here
for
biological control of slugs.
Sometimes the roots are attacked by aphids. They will weaken the plants but are unlikely to kill them. When you dig up the roots look for the brownish aphids. There is no treatment for them but correct crop rotation should stop them being a problem.
Note that in some parts of world Jerusalem artichokes are considered a weed. If you want to remove them from a patch of ground be sure to remove every trace of the tubers from the soil.
Cooking Jerusalem Artichokes They should be washed and scrubbed, the skin can be left on. They are excellent roasted or added to stews and casseroles. A superb addition to any winter vegetable soup.
Name:
Valerie Farrell
E-mail:
ipangurban@gmail.com
Date posted:
August 20, 2011 - 09:49 am
Message:
I'm experiencing a real invasion by a pest that's taking its toll on my J artichokes. There are tiny black insects clustered along the stem and lots of caterpillars hatching on and eating big holes in the leaves. The stalk can end up still standing but w/ almost no leaves left intact. What are they and how do I go about dealing w/ them? The mature caterpillars are mostly black w/ subtle orange stripes down both sides near their feet and are a little over an inch long. Help!
Name:
Whitehead Mrs
E-mail:
Valerie.whitehead@talktalk.net
Date posted:
December 01, 2010 - 06:03 am
Message:
I want to purchase about 3Ib of Jerusalem Artichokes to make soup. Can you tell me where there is a supplier within the Tamworth Staffordshire area?
