My first attempt at growing ’ Jerusalem Artichoke ’ this year. No idea what the outcome is going to be like. At least so far, the flowers ( aka Wild Sunflower ) look pretty!
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@THECHARLES You may want to participate on the gardening thread
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Wow! Will you be harvesting and eating them?
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The first house we bought here in Ashland had a front yard filled with them. She wanted a patio.
What variety? I planted a bunch of the Fuseau variety years ago and they are now popping up everywhere. Make sure you don’t harvest them until after we’ve had frost for the best flavour.
If you drive around more rural areas, you can often see Jerusalem artichokes growing at the road side and in untended fields. Free food!
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Thanks for the tips!! 
Maybe five years ago my husband’s friend who is an avid organic gardener gave him A Lot of Jerusalem artichokes to plant. I warned him that after what I’d read on either CH or HO they would populate and take over the whole garden. Haven’t seen sign of one yet, but from what Jammy said, it may just be a matter of time. Since no one else has brought it up yet I might as well. Probably don’t have to remind you that (in case you didn’t already know) there’s a reason why JA are nicknamed Fartichokes. Never tried one but keep that in mind.
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Yes indeed! “Sunchokes” have an indigestible starch, inulin, which can cause a lot of gas and/or bloating. To avoid this, limit portion sizes. One’s body becomes a bit more receptive over time, with repeated limited consumption. It’s when you haven’t eaten them for a long time (or ever), that can cause real mischief if you eat too many.
Many types are fairly aggressive, quasi-invasive perennials. The newer varieties which form tubers close to the “mother”, also called “clumping”, do not spread as quickly. This type includes the varieties: Supernova, Gute Gelbe, Nora, Dwarf (red), Stampede and others.
Researchers discovered that by drying and boiling the tubers in acidic solution, the starches convert to fructose, which can be fermented after adjusting the pH for yeasts. The amount of ethanol/acre was impressive, and much less input-intensive than corn. Sunchokes could be a viable fuel source … … outside of people.
Oh wow, I didn’t realized they’re so pretty! I really enjoy sunchokes, and they are not easy to find in my local grocery stores. This would be a good option to add to the garden, if they tolerate my climate.
