Artichoke Jerusalem

PLANTING

Artichoke Jerusalem need well drained light soil to grow well,

They also like full sun.

The traditional time for planting is in late winter to spring, but can be planted anytime from about December to April.

It is best to dig over the planting area a couple of times to brake up the soil before planting.

Remove all weeds and add organic matter a couple of days before planting the tuber.

The tuber is then planted at a depth of 8cm (3-4inch).

CARE

As the plant grows it is important to keep the area weed free.

In some areas snails can be a problem as they love to eat the leaves.

To get a good crop the plants need regular watering as they don't like to dry out.

A tip is to mulch round the plant to conserve water.

Once the plant has established it will shade out the ground below so reducing the need for weeding.

Don't feed or fertilize the plant during the growing period.

HARVESTING

The trick to getting the best flavor out of this root is to let it receive a frost.

So don't harvest to early. The wait will be worth it as it does enhance the flavor.

Don't forget to save a couple of tubers to over winter for next years planting.