Jerusalem Artichoke: Care, Harvest & Use

Topinambur was already in the 17th century. Century an important food in Europe and has been on the rise again for some time. What many do not know: the tasty and 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 present 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 In the 19th century, the potato replaced the Jerusalem artichoke tubers as a foodstuff, 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 the flowers of Jerusalem artichoke, it is not surprising that the plant is very closely related to the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Is related. 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 the Mediterranean only from October.

What is exciting, however, 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 of the irregularly shaped rhizome bulbs 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 the willingness to bloom, growth height, stability, yield and color of the rhizome tubers.

Today, Jerusalem artichoke is 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-performance plant in all areas, from nutrition to energy production.

Note on toxicity: Jerusalem artichoke is not poisonous, the leaves are eaten with preference by animals such as rabbits. Incidentally, the rhizome tubers can also be eaten raw.

Likelihood of confusion: Topinambur-like plants

Externally, Jerusalem artichoke can be confused with 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 Jerusalem artichoke are the sun eye (heliopsis sp.) or the streaky silphie (Silphium perfoliatum), which is now cultivated on many fields for biogas production.

Caring for Jerusalem artichokes: cutting, 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 enough 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. Our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer With its increased potassium content, it has an optimal composition for the tuber growth of 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, negligible infestation of the powdery mildew appear. 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 can occur at the base of the shoot sclerotia come. Since this fungus survives in the soil, you should dispose of infested plants and urgently change the area next year.

Jerusalem artichokes overwinter

Jerusalem artichoke can remain 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 next spring.

Propagation of Jerusalem Artichoke

Like the potato, Jerusalem artichoke 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 artichokes via the tubers is therefore usually the only practical way.

Note to remove Jerusalem artichoke: Jerusalem artichoke can become a real nuisance as it often grows rampant and forms strong shoots from any tubers left 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 and digging up the tubers to remove Jerusalem artichoke from the garden entirely.

Harvesting and storing Jerusalem artichokes

The huge plants suggest a rich yield in summer, but when do you harvest and how do you store Jerusalem artichokes correctly? There are a few points to note here. We have summarized the essential steps for you.

Harvest Jerusalem artichokes

Harvest time begins as soon as the Jerusalem artichoke leaves fall and the stems become dry. 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 also freeze the harvested Jerusalem artichoke tubers, they will keep for about a year.

Is Jerusalem artichoke healthy?

Jerusalem artichoke is an extremely healthy vegetable that, in addition to filling carbohydrates, also contains lots of vitamins and minerals. Diabetics in particular benefit from the contained inulin, a type of carbohydrate that does not allow the blood sugar level to rise.

Ingredients and use of Jerusalem artichoke in the kitchen

The Jerusalem artichoke tubers consist of approx. 3% from proteins and about 16% from 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 healthy 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, salt 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".

The culture of tuber vegetables begins in May with the Plants of Jerusalem Artichokes. In our special article you will find helpful tips for growing in your own garden.