Planting and Growing Guide for Sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

Description

Sunchoke, also known as Jerusalem Artichokes, is a perennial sunflower grown for their edible roots. The tubers that can be eaten raw or cooked. Plant the tubers in a permanent position under the soil. They are very hardy, dying down in winter and resisting frosts. Add soil and compost around the shoots as they grow. They are also drought-tolerant. They will shoot in Spring and produce small sunflowers. Harvest some of the tubers after the flowers and shoots die off in autumn. Leave a batch of tubers in the ground to grow in the next Spring.

Sunchoke have delicate nutty and slightly sweet flavour. The tubers have knobbly irregular shape, and so require careful peeling. This can be avoided by roasting the tubers in their skins or boiling them. The cooked tubers are easier to peel. They are ideal for making soups together with potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and capsicums. The tubers can be cooked in many ways: steamed, boiled, fried. They can be sliced or puréed and added to stir fry dishes, casseroles and salads. They can also be roasted. However, please note that they can cause flatulence in some people.

Planting Guide

Seed Depth: Plan the tubers about 5 cm (1 1/2 inches) deep. The tubers can be cut into large pieces before planting.

Space between plants: Space plants about 30-50 cm (1-2 feet) apart. Space rows 60-80 cm (3-4 feet) apart

Harvest Time: Harvest in about 15-20 weeks. May take 2 years to produce a good yield. leave in the ground and harvest as you need them as the tubers do not store well after harvest

Hints:

Learn how to grow Sunchoke, in your home garden. See the planting and growing guide to get started.
Learn how to grow Sunchoke, in your home garden. See the planting and growing guide to get started. Source: Public Domain



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