Jerusalem Artichokes - Beginner Style!

Funnily enough, they're not from Jerusalem at all. The common name is a corruption of the Italian word Girasola, meaning 'turning to the sun', as this, and all other sunflower relatives, tend to so. Jerusalem artichokes are from the North American plains, ranging from the Great Lakes, west to Saskatchewan, south to Arkansas and the middle of Georgia.

They were cultivated as an article of food by the natives of some of these areas, far before the settlement of Europeans. They very soon attracted the attention of travellers, making it's way to the gardens of England by 1617. It's always stayed more of a garden vegetable than a commercial feild crop. They don't store or ship well, so to appreciate the mild, hearty deliciousness of this crop, you will probably have to grow your own.

As a note for diabetics, the carbohydrate inulin is found in Jerusalem artichoke tubers, making it an excellent addition to the diabetic diet. Inulin is not the same as Insulin; it is a carbohydrate which breaks down to fructose. Fructose is not used to treat diabetes, but is considered a better sugar for most diabetics because it must be converted to glucose before being absorbed by cells.

I hope this article will help you grow your own artichokes. I highly recommend them as a vegetable. They're nutritious, delicious, and easy to grow.

About the Plant
Jerusalem artichokes are perennial, meaning they can stay in the ground all year in areas as cold as zone 5. For this reason, it's a good idea to select a permanent spot, like asparagus and rhubarb.

Jerusalem artichokes can grow quite tall. Most reach a height of at least 6 feet in their first year, and have been known to reach 10 in ideal, warm-summer climates.

In this ideal climate you will also see blooms. The flowers are just like those of sunflowers, but much smaller. In my area, the summer is too mild to produce flowers. In the interior of British Columbia, they will produce blooms even though the summer is shorter; there they get a nice hot blast. Flowers are not necessary to get lots of nice tubers though.

What they like
They like lots of sun and are not fussy about soil, although if it is loose and fertile they will produce more. They prefer soil on the acidic side (pH 6.0 to 6.5) so no excessive lime should be applied.

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