JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE
What time of year are they grown?
Plant the tubers in late winter or spring. These grow into a perennial sunlower, blooming in the summer. In autumn, the leaves will turn yellow as the plant prepares for winter. After nearly a year underground, the tubers are ready to eat throughout winter, having grown and multiplied over the months.
Are there dierent varieties of Jerusalem artichokes?
Fuseau is popular for having smoother tubers than most varieties and makes a fairly compact plant. Gerard produces red-skinned, rounder tubers in contrast to the white, elongated tubers of Fuseau.
How easy is it to grow your own?
These are easy to grow to a harvest – the most common problem being their invasive nature. Gardeners are advised to dig up every bit of tuber each year in spring and start fresh with new, egg-sized tubers for the next winter’s harvest. If left unchecked, it becomes diicult to control the spread of these plants.
What else should I look out for in my February garden?
Keep harvesting winter brassicas and other winter crops. Check stored crops for signs of rot. Start sowing greenhouse tomatoes and chillies in heated propagators. Sow onions, brussels sprouts, leeks, peas and spinach under glass. Plant rhubarb and new Jerusalem artichokes with a cloche for protection, and fruit trees and bushes. Finally, inish tidying the plot ready for spring sowing.