Jerusalem artichoke is delicious and decorative. In order for it to thrive and produce large tubers, however, you should pay attention to a few things.
The tart artichoke, also known as Jerusalem artichoke, is one of the vegetables that are ideal for inexperienced home gardeners. If you would like to give your children their first experience of growing vegetables, you can easily use this plant.
It is quite undemanding and grows in pots, tubs and in the garden. In addition, it offers fruits so that even children can reap a direct reward for their work.
Vegetables with many benefits
» As a decorative plant
Unlike radishes, carrots or potatoes, for example, the earth artichoke will really delight you. Because the vegetable plant offers so much more than delicious vegetables for the winter.
In the summer, the plants gleam in bright yellow flowers. The plant dies over the winter, but only to grow again in the spring. So you don't need to plant new Jerusalem artichokes every year.
» Topinambur as privacy screen
As the perennials grow quite tall, Jerusalem artichoke is also ideal as a privacy screen.
In order to set them as a privacy screen, however, it is advisable to curb the roots a little. Jerusalem artichokes develop a widely branched root network that can easily grow under the fence to your neighbor. Therefore pull a root barrier before planting. You can get these in every hardware store and garden center and also online at Amazon.
Form a plastic ring out of it and place it around the root ball of the plant at a sufficient distance.
» Tip: To measure the correct distance, you can use Jerusalem artichokes grown in pots as a guide. The bucket should be at least 35 centimeters tall - the root barrier therefore has the same diameter.
Plant Jerusalem Artichoke - How it's done
You should look for a sunny or semi-shady location in the vegetable patch. The plant prefers loose soil, which may well be mixed with some sand. You do not have to pay attention to special circumstances. The plant is undemanding and also growson sandy soils.
Fortunately, planting the bulbs is very easy. The tubers are placed up to ten centimeters deep in the ground and covered with soil. You only have to pay attention to the distance between the individual plants. This should not be less than forty centimetres.
At a glance this means:
| Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Location | sunny or semi-shady |
| Ground | loose soil, often interspersed with sand |
| Planting time | Spring - possible all year round if there is no ground frost |
| Planting distance | if possible 40 centimeters |
| Planting location | Bed or tub |
You can also plant the tartichokes in rows if your vegetable garden offers enough space. A distance of up to sixty centimeters is recommended between the perennials. The rows are spaced at least forty centimeters apart so that you can reach the individual plants.
» Tip: You don't have a garden but don't want to do without fresh vegetables in winter? Then plant Jerusalem artichoke in flower tubs and place the plant on the balcony. The yellow blossoms are pleasing to the eye in summer, and you can also make a natural privacy screen - to harvest delicious vegetables in autumn.