How to Grow Jerusalem Artichoke? Detailed Growing Guide

Jerusalem artichoke, also known as sunchoke or earth apple, is edible; its tubers are rich in starch and make excellent succulent feed. The fresh stems and leaves are used as silage and have a higher nutritional value than sunflower. So, how do you grow Jerusalem artichoke?

1. Site selection and planting

Jerusalem artichoke likes loose, fertile sandy loam. It is best to choose flat land or mountain land with convenient drainage and irrigation, a deep plow layer, good fertility, an altitude below 2500 m, and neutral or slightly alkaline soil. The previous crop is best as wheat, beans, corn, or vegetables; avoid continuous cropping with plants of the Asteraceae family or tuber crops.

2. Land preparation and fertilization

After the autumn harvest, prepare the land. Apply 5000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, broadcasting 70% and applying 30% in concentrated furrows at sowing; additionally apply 15 kg of potassium sulfate, plow deeply to 30 cm, then level the land and make beds ready for sowing.

3. Seed tuber selection

Choose tubers of the Qingyu No. 2 Jerusalem artichoke that are free from rot, pests, and disease, each weighing 30-50 g, as seed. Large tubers can be cut into pieces. After cutting, soak the seed pieces in a potassium permanganate aqueous solution for disinfection.

4. Sowing time

Generally sow in spring. The suitable sowing time is from late March to early to mid-April, after the soil thaws.

5. Sowing method

After the spring thaw, select tubers weighing 20-25 g for sowing. You need 50 kg of tuber seed per mu, with a plant-to-row spacing of 0.5×0.5 m and a sowing depth of 10-20 cm. Seedlings emerge about 30 days after sowing. Jerusalem artichoke is sown once a year; after harvest, tubers remain in the soil, so it need not be sown again the next year. However, to keep the plants evenly distributed, thin out seedlings where they are too dense and fill in gaps where plants are missing.

Jerusalem artichoke has strong stress resistance, tolerates drought, and has no pests or diseases. It is simple to grow and is also used to make inulin and alcohol, making it a valuable industrial raw material.