You can harvest Jerusalem artichoke all year round. This has the advantage that you can limit the spread of the plant.
Growing vegetables has two advantages for you. On the one hand, you can enjoy the look of many vegetable plants. On the other hand, you get a rich harvest. Of course, this also applies to the Jerusalem artichoke.
The tiger artichoke is one of the easiest vegetables to grow and is a great way to teach children and novice gardeners the first steps of growing. In the following we will explain what you need to consider when harvesting the tubers and how to store them correctly.
Harvesting Jerusalem artichoke - you should know that
» Optimum harvest time:
The Jerusalem artichoke harvest begins in autumn. During this time you can expect the largest tubers. In addition, the tiger artichokes have the best flavor at this time.
Although autumn is the ideal harvest time, the plant sprout all year round and can be harvested at any time. However, the tubers reflect the weather: if the summer is hot and the soil is dry, the tubers shrink because the plant draws water from them. It is therefore best not to harvest the tubers in hot temperatures and dry weather conditions.
» The Harvest:
If the soil is loose, you can easily pull the tubers out of the ground by the stalk. Alternatively, simply dig up the plant and remove the bulbs from the plant.
Of course, the plant will not grow back after harvest, so you will have to replant it in the spring. If you have created a privacy screen with the vegetable plant, you can harvest every second tuber. In this way, half of the privacy screen remains and will sprout again in the spring.
Tip: If you overwinter the perennial vegetable plant, you can cut back the perennial in autumn.
If you want fresh Jerusalem artichokes all year round, you should always keep the soil around the plant moist. In this way, the tiger artichoke absorbs sufficient water through the roots and does not have to resort to the tubers.
Storage Jerusalem artichoke
It is often said that Jerusalem artichoke is stored just as wellcan be, such as potatoes. However, that is not true. While potatoes can easily be stored in a cool and dark place throughout the winter, Jerusalem artichokes suffer if they are eaten too late. After harvesting, the tubers lose moisture and shrivel.
To keep the tubers fresh for a few days after harvesting, place them in the refrigerator or in a cool place if possible. You don't need to clean the fruit before storing it - the soil protects the tuber from drying out.
If you want to enjoy winter vegetables fresh in late winter, you can use old home remedies:
» Sand storage or earth storage:
Put sand in a bucket and put the harvested tuber with soil and roots in the sand. The nodules should be about five centimeters deep in the sand. The tubers will keep like this for about three months.
You can optionally dig a hole about forty centimeters deep outside. Put in the harvested tubers and cover them with soil.
Tip: By storing it in a hole in the ground, you are using a trick that was used up until the last century.
» Freeze:
Freezing the Jerusalem artichoke is of course associated with less effort. All you have to do is peel the tubers and then freeze them.