Many hobby gardeners don't have the time to grow vegetables in their own garden. For them, Jerusalem artichoke is the ideal root vegetable. The sweet potato can be planted almost anywhere, requires little attention and produces a bountiful harvest.

The right location

Jerusalem artichoke makes few demands on the location. A sunny to semi-shady location, loose, nutritious soil - that's actually all the plant needs.

This is how the ground is prepared

The cultivation of Jerusalem artichoke is not dissimilar to that of the potato. The soil should be thoroughly loosened beforehand. Stones and thickenings are removed. Then the nodules can form undisturbed.

It is important that the soil is permeable to water. The sweet potato does not tolerate waterlogging at all. Otherwise it rots in the ground.

Jerusalem artichoke also thrives on nutrient-poor soil. In order to achieve a good harvest, however, it makes sense to enrich depleted soil with compost.

Very dense soils, such as clay soils, are loosened with sand or chopped tree cuttings.

Planting tips

Although Jerusalem artichoke can be grown from seed, this complicated path is rarely followed. It is much easier to buy bulbs from a specialist dealer or to exchange them with a neighbour.

The tubers should have at least two eyes. They are placed up to 15 centimeters deep in the prepared soil. The distance between the plants should be at least 40 centimeters

The rows of plants are covered with soil, stepped on a little and watered.

Jerusalem artichoke care

As soon as the plants are 20 to 30 centimeters high, they are piled up. Then more tubers form. This process should be repeated once or twice.

The sweet potato needs a lot of water, especially in midsummer. Water morning and evening, but avoid waterlogging.

On a well-prepared soil, fertilizing is not necessary. If the soil is already a bit depleted, you can rake in some mature compost between the rows. Under no circumstances should fertilizers rich in nitrogen be given. He would let the tubers rot.

Tips for a rich harvest

Tuber formation can be stimulated not only by piling up the plants. Removing the flowers also ensures that the plant develops additional bulbs.

The cultivation of Jerusalem artichoke in brief:

  • prepare ground
  • Lay out tubers
  • Water regularly
  • pile up plants
  • Harvest regularly

problems in cultivation

Jerusalem artichoke reproduces not only by seeds, but primarily by the tubers. If even a small tuber is overlooked when harvesting, a new plant will form there. In order to prevent uncontrolled propagation, harvesting must be carried out regularly or a root barrier must be laid out around the beds.

tips and tricks

Grow Jerusalem artichokes directly on the fence or plant them in front of unsightly corners in the garden. The sweet potato grows up to four meters tall, develops beautiful yellow or reddish flowers and grows so compactly that it forms an opaque privacy screen.

Category:

Vegetable garden