Jerusalem Artichoke: grow, harvest, eat

There's a lot of food you can grow with these plants - see the 6.5kg from one plant here. Few pests, just a little support needed, brilliant with no dig.

They are difficult to digest though. Hence the name fartichoke. At the end I show you some ways to help with this.

00:00 Introduction, and some info/background on the name
01:27 Harvesting some tubers which have been in the ground all winter
2:54 Speed of growth
03:35 A closer look at the harvest
07:29 In the kitchen with the harvest - 6.5 kg/approx. 15lb - cleaning them, ideas for cooking with them, plus some info on digestibility :)
09:27 Using them in a ferment - artichoke kimchi
10:59 Options for replanting

And lots of information on no dig in this 'About No Dig' knowledge pack:

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[missthang]

I love Jerusalem artichokes and I love them in soups. I add carrots to my soups, along with a good helping of freshly grated ginger. I find that the ginger helps reduce the rude results of eating these delicious little knobs!

[Qopzeep]

I love sunchokes, but I have certainly experienced the unpleasurable sensation they can produce at the rear end. Fermentation is a good strategy. Another method is through increased exposure: as you increase your dose, your gut microbes will gradually adjust to this new food source and things will balance out. It's similar to getting used to beans. They're worth the effort!

[iyanla]

I just love Jerusalem Artichoke. I cut the tubers like you do, put some salt, pepper, olive oil and put it in the oven. I like to eat it with fermented cabbage in the winter. Other times I mix it with potatoes and asparagus. I plant Jerusalem Artichoke around one part of my garden as an edible hedge and most of my crop I give to my hens during winter. Eggs production is much more increased.

[jeffersonrose]

Thanks for this. I live in USA and recently rediscovered gardening as something to do instead of smoking tobacco, while im quitting. This is my first season and I know i got started late, so I've been looking for something to more crops that are hardy against frost. Ill be planting sun choke soon, now.

After explaining no dig techniquesand sharing some of your videos to my landlord, hes given me even more of the property to grow on.

[kennupoiss]

In Estonia we call them "Maapirn", its in English "Land pear". These are extremely healthy vegetables. Add them into your salats as much you can. Make for Children these artichoke snaks, like carrots pieces, they are tasty in any condition :) Sometimes they are very sweet and sometimes very low tasty. They provide few calories, 34 kcal per 100 g, but are rich in minerals, containing potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium compounds, as well as B group vitamins.

[electraspy]

I grow these in my orchard mainly as super easy fodder to feed treat my chickens, goats & horses. I just cut some leafy stems & flowers as treats throughout Summer (my animals eat every bit! Stems too) It’s just a bonus my family gets the tubers in winter =) We grow sunflowers for feed too, same thing… every animal loves it, no waste. If you have the space, Sunchokes are fodder gold for livestock to get through late Summer when fields get bare.

[socloseagain]

Mr Charles' videos bring me so much joy always while learning ALOT about gardening, never stop doing them! 🤗

[Pixieworksstudio]

Thank you for doing such a positive video about these. I see so many people put off of growing such a staple crop because of silly comments on places like fb. I grow them in pots, and they are fab for limited space. After harvesting I just pop one back in with the compost - so it will be a free harvest really every time after. I have never tasted a soup flavour like it! So now all mine is harvested the freezer is full of soup. I have some red/pinky ones, and some more cream colour like yours. They are amazing roasted, in stir-fries and I also love them raw where they kind of remind me of the texture of fresh coconut. Take care, and thanks again!

[antoniustheiler]

Hello Charles,
Here in Germany these plants are called Topinambur (Jerusalem artichokes) and once you have them in your garden you will never get rid of them. They grow in my chicken coop and give the animals protection. I don't want them in the vegetable garden because the voles like to eat the Jerusalem artichokes. I find your fermented products very interesting. I love them on chips and fresh in salads. For chips, they are finely shaved, mixed well with a tablespoon of olive oil, salted a little and dried on baking paper in the oven at around 100°C. Depending on the temperature, it takes about an hour. Absolutely delicious! In the cool season, they can be dried well in the slightly heated wood-fired oven with the roasting oven door slightly open. All the best! Ursula

[TC-bddi]

Honestly the way you casually dropped that tuber in and picked it out was just perfect. Charles is the GOAT.

[simonminnican]

I was given a single tuber from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's Park Farm whilst visiting to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "River Cottage". I've just replanted the descendants of that tuber in our new garden. Amazing plants.

[fouroakfarm]

One of my favorites to grow :) I have 6 varieties now and sell them mail order in the US . Some varieties like White Fuseau and Beaver Valley are easier to clean, they're hardly knobby

[rosehavenfarm]

I have wanted to add this wonderful perennial food to our garden. You have encouraged me to finally go ahead and do it this year.
Thank you (as always), Mr Dowding.

[trish]

Thanks so much for your kind expose on sunchokes ...if only every vegetable was this easy to grow with a bountiful harvest! I've found that since they are so plentiful, to shorten cleaning time, I just do a thick peeling of them - this way I don't inadvertently bite a stone in a crevice! I live a simple lifestyle and am so grateful for the veggies that are available during that hungry gap. BTW they can be roasted too with olive oil, garlic, carrots and any other root veggies you have. And at this time kale starts regrowing and then there is enough for dinner :). Thank again Charles! PS I don't put the cuttings in my regular compost bin or they would regrow- just toss them in a separate pile out of the way.

[adreabrooks]

Aside from the useful information, I also love the clear joy with which you approach your gardening, harvest and cooking. It makes your video a joy to watch. Thank you for sharing!

[freedomforestlife]

Love it - We are having a slightly windier week here, following tidying our JA bed the other day and getting a good harvest. We grow a much straighter variety, I think it might be 'White Fuseau' they are much easier to clean and prepare for the kitchen, they taste AMAZING, I can send you a few tubers if youd like to try this variety and see how they compare ? We've had the knobblier ones too, but found the straight so much more of a pleasure to work with. 💚✌🌿

[tpangle]

They are full of prebiotics! ;) Getting ready to harvest mine now, too. They are also so very easy to share. I got them for free from a neighbor and I've shared the slips many times over!

[meisaak]

Canadian here. I grew up with these and didn't even know there was another kind of artichoke for many years 😄. I love your hat in this episode. It reminds me of my grandfather, who grew beautiful gardens. -Em

[jondv]

I have both growing next to each other on my allotment, the Jerusalem variety is great as a winter crop, apart from the windy effects if you eat too much, it is a very good heavy cropper, great roasted like potatoes or used in a slow cooked stew

[jennyjohnson]

Something I've never grown Charles, but definitely looks worth a try. Thankyou!