- Jerusalem artichoke: origin and properties
- Risk of confusion: Jerusalem artichoke-like plants
- Care for Jerusalem artichoke: pruning, fertilizing & Co.
- Common Pests and Diseases of Jerusalem Artichoke
- Overwinter Jerusalem artichoke
- Propagation of Jerusalem Artichoke
- Harvest and store Jerusalem artichoke
- Is Jerusalem artichoke he althy?
- Ingredients and uses of Jerusalem artichoke in the kitchen
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Jerusalem artichoke was already an important food in Europe in the 17th century and has been on the rise again for some time. What many people don't know is that the tasty, low-calorie tuber can be grown in the garden without any problems.
Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial, historical vegetable that was rediscovered a few years ago and has been increasingly cultivated ever since. But what is Jerusalem artichoke? And where is he from? We introduce the bulbous sunflower and give tips on growing it in your own garden.
Jerusalem artichoke: origin and properties
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also known as the earth pear or earth artichoke, came to Europe from North America around 1600 and supplied the population of the time with carbohydrates. In the 18th century, the potato replaced the Jerusalem artichoke tubers as food, but they continued to be cultivated as fodder for cattle and game. Until a few years ago, vegetables were largely forgotten. Only the return to well-established and regionally grown vegetables brought the tasty tuber back to the gardens and onto our plates. But what does Jerusalem artichoke actually look like?
Jerusalem artichoke forms long shoots above ground with many side branches covered with rough, sunflower-like leaves. The branches are sparse and break off very easily in the wind. Jerusalem artichokes can bloom from August, but not always and only with certain varieties. The plant reaches a height of 2.5 to 3 meters. Looking at Jerusalem artichoke flowers, it is not surprising that the plant is closely related to the sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Both plants have a sun-yellow halo around the central, knobby, brownish-yellow tubular flowers. The plant only flowers when the days get shorter. In Germany this is already from August, in some of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean only from October.
But what is exciting is what is formed underground at the roots of the Jerusalem artichoke. During the summer, oval to cone-shaped rhizome bulbs form, which can be white on the inside and brownish to deep red on the outside. At the tips ofIrregularly shaped rhizome tubers are buds for next year's shoots. Sunchoke therefore reproduces itself vegetatively through the rhizomes. The taste of these tubers is aromatic, earthy and a little nutty, but is also often described as artichoke-like. This has earned the tuber the nickname earth artichoke. There is a wide range of Jerusalem artichoke varieties, which differ in their willingness to bloom, growth height, stability, yield and color of the rhizome tubers.
Jerusalem artichoke is now also used to produce fructose, as an energy crop for producing biofuels and as a fodder crop. More biomass per hectare can only be obtained from sugar beet for the production of bioethanol. As a renewable raw material, Jerusalem artichoke can also be processed into wood chips and burned in a pellet heating system. The energy content of the yield from one hectare of Jerusalem artichoke corresponds to over 6000 liters of heating oil. Jerusalem artichoke is therefore a high-performing plant in all areas, from nutrition to energy production.
Note on toxicity: Jerusalem artichoke is not poisonous, the leaves are eaten by animals such as rabbits. Incidentally, the rhizome tubers can also be eaten raw.
Risk of confusion: Jerusalem artichoke-like plants
Jerusalem artichoke can be mistaken for some of its relatives. However, if you take a look at the soil, only Jerusalem artichoke has the desired, tasty tubers. A mix-up is actually impossible. Plants similar to the Jerusalem artichoke are the suneye (Heliopsis sp.) or the streaky silphium (Silphium perfoliatum), which is now cultivated on many fields for biogas production .
Care for Jerusalem artichoke: pruning, fertilizing & Co.
Jerusalem artichoke grows in almost all types of soil, but prefers sandy and humic, loamy soil. The water requirement of the Jerusalem artichoke is very high, simply because of the large biomass that is formed. The floors should store moisture well and be able to release it if necessary, but waterlogging should be avoided at all costs. Jerusalem Artichoke tolerates full sun and hot days very well provided there is adequate water.
After the tubers have been planted between the end of March and mid-May, the first shoots quickly begin to shoot. In dry years, it should be watered regularly at the beginning so that the Jerusalem artichoke quickly builds up the necessary root mass.Regular fertilization can increase the yield, especially on poor soils. With its increased potassium content, our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer has an optimal composition for the tuber growth of the Jerusalem artichoke. Excessive amounts of nitrogen, for example through fresh manure, promote shoot growth instead, the tubers remain smaller and the storability decreases. During planting and two months afterwards, the fertilizer granules are added to the Jerusalem artichoke plants and worked in on the surface.
If the Jerusalem artichoke is to be used as fodder, you can cut off the shoots once in summer and once in autumn and feed them. If you want to harvest the tubers, you simply let the plant grow in peace. In windy locations, the tall but not particularly stable perennial should be tied to a strong stake.
Common Pests and Diseases of Jerusalem Artichoke
You can do without pest and disease control when growing in your own garden. Jerusalem artichoke is very robust and resistant. In wet, cool years, a negligible infestation of powdery mildew can occur. The only known pest is the vole, which finds a delicacy at eye level in the tubers and can eat the entire harvest. If Jerusalem artichoke is grown on the same area for years, rot at the base of the shoot may occur from Sklerotinia. Since this fungus survives in the soil, infested plants should be discarded and the area urgently changed next year.
Overwinter Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke can stay in the ground for several years, with good care even up to 20 years, and sprout again every spring and form new tubers. To do this, dig up only part of the rhizome tubers in autumn and leave the rest in the ground. The Jerusalem artichoke tubers rest over the winter, hibernate and reliably sprout again in the following spring.
Propagation of Jerusalem Artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke, like the potato, can be propagated via the tubers. This type of propagation is not only very easy, once you have bought a variety, you can propagate and maintain it yourself. The tubers harvested in autumn are stored over the winter and planted in a new location next spring. Seeds are only produced and sown in the breeding of new varieties. Naturally, the seeds in our latitudes usually do not even ripen - it is not warm enough here. The propagation of Jerusalem artichoke via the tubers is therefore usually the only practical way.
Remove Jerusalem artichoke: Jerusalem artichoke can become a real plague, as it often grows rampant and forms strong shoots from all tubers remaining in the ground. Here you have to dig deep and remove as many rhizome tubers as possible to prevent the spread. It takes a lot of effort and regular digging up and digging up the tubers to completely remove Jerusalem artichoke from the garden.
Harvest and store Jerusalem artichoke
The huge plants suggest a rich yield in summer, but when do you harvest Jerusalem artichokes and how do you store them correctly? There are a few points to note here. We have summarized the essential steps for you.
Harvest Jerusalem Artichoke
As soon as the Jerusalem artichoke leaves fall and the stems dry out, the harvest season begins. This is usually the case with us from the end of October to November. Now it is also the season for the Jerusalem artichoke tubers, which are only offered for a short time at the vegetable market. As with the potato harvest, you use a spade to dig up the earth around the plant generously and lift it out together with the tubers. In addition to the classic tools, there are also so-called potato shovels or digging forks, with which the soil can be shaken off the tubers particularly easily. If the individual tubers are already detaching from the roots, they are really ready to be harvested and can then also be stored for the longest time. In principle, it can be harvested throughout the winter until March, before the tubers sprout again.
Storage of Jerusalem Artichoke
The skin of Jerusalem artichoke is quite thin, which is why the tubers can only be stored in the refrigerator for one to two weeks. The best storage is wrapped in damp sand in a cool cellar. In this way, the plant tubers are overwintered for the next year if they do not remain in the ground anyway. In contrast to potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke is very hardy and can be harvested continuously as a winter vegetable until new shoots appear in March. Only the ground should not be frozen, because this makes harvesting very difficult and the tubers are quickly injured. Alternatively, you can freeze the Jerusalem artichoke tubers you have harvested, they will keep for about a year.
Is Jerusalem artichoke he althy?
Jerusalem artichoke is an extremely he althy vegetable which, in addition to filling carbohydrates, also contains lots of vitamins and minerals. ParticularlyDiabetics benefit from the contained inulin, a type of carbohydrate that does not raise blood sugar levels.
Ingredients and uses of Jerusalem artichoke in the kitchen
The Jerusalem artichoke tubers consist of about 3% proteins and about 16% carbohydrates, half of which is inulin. Our stomach treats the inulin like fiber, which has a positive effect on digestion but does not raise blood sugar levels. With a calorific value of 30 kcal per 100 g, Jerusalem artichoke has less than half the calories of potatoes. In addition to vitamins A, B1 and B2, the he althy Jerusalem artichoke tuber offers many nutrients, such as potassium and iron, in high concentrations.
Jerusalem artichoke can be eaten raw and tastes pleasantly nutty. However, the tuber is usually prepared boiled or cooked and is used in various dishes. A classic of the old kitchen is a soup made from Jerusalem artichokes. As oven vegetables, the tuber vegetables can be prepared with a little oil, mustard, curry powder, s alt and pepper. By the way, Jerusalem artichoke does not have to be peeled, the tubers are only cleaned with a little water and a mushroom brush. The Jerusalem artichoke is dried in wafer-thin slices and eaten as chips. In specialist shops there is also Jerusalem artichoke syrup with a high fructose content. Some specialists even make schnapps or brandy from the tubers, the so-called "Topinambur" or "Rossler".
Cultivation of tuber vegetables begins in May with planting Jerusalem artichoke. In our special article you will find helpful tips for growing in your own garden.