How to Grow Jerusalem Artichoke? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods
Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial herbaceous plant with rhizomes, and it is grown on a very large area in China. Its main edible part is the underground rhizome, which can be boiled or pickled, and can also be dried into jerusalem artichoke slices; it is very popular in China. Jerusalem artichoke also has relatively high medicinal value, and can treat unnamed swellings and toxins, mumps, and so on. So how should Jerusalem artichoke be grown? Below, the editor brings you the planting methods for Jerusalem artichoke. Let's take a look!
1. Environmental requirements
Jerusalem artichoke likes to grow in a cool and dry environment, and has relatively strong cold and drought tolerance. At a temperature of around 5°C, the tubers begin to sprout, and around 10°C they can emerge. Jerusalem artichoke has relatively strong adaptability to soil, but if you want to increase the yield of Jerusalem artichoke, then you should ensure soil quality as much as possible. The soil pH must not be too acidic, and the soil must be ensured to have relatively strong permeability, be soft, and have good drainage and irrigation capacity. Then the soil preparation work must be done well; if the soil is high quality, it is very beneficial to the yield and quality of Jerusalem artichoke.
2. Seed preparation and sowing
The main propagation method for Jerusalem artichoke is tuber propagation, and Jerusalem artichoke is generally harvested in autumn and winter each year. After the tubers are harvested, tubers weighing around 22g should be selected as seed tubers and stored in sand for seed preparation. It is also possible to wait until the soil temperature rises in spring and then select tubers of suitable size for sowing. The sowing time for Jerusalem artichoke is generally best in spring, and the sowing method is hole sowing or furrow sowing. When sowing, the sowing density must be controlled well, with plant and row spacing controlled at around 50cm. After loosening the soil, apply an appropriate amount of base fertilizer; the base fertilizer should not be too much, to avoid fertilizer damage. Then sow at the appropriate time; the sowing should not be too deep, keeping it at around 10cm, and after sowing cover with fine soil and level the sowing holes.
3. Field management
Jerusalem artichoke emerges relatively quickly; generally, about one month after sowing, it can emerge. After the Jerusalem artichoke seedlings have all emerged, pay attention to doing a good job of watering and fertilizing, strengthen cultivating and weeding, and then build the field into low ridges. If the soil moisture content is suitable and it is not very dry, then there is no need to water again. This continues until the tuber expansion stage, keeping the soil in a state of alternating dry and wet. If the stems and leaves of the aboveground part grow too vigorously, then topping should be done well, concentrating the nutrients in the tubers and promoting expansion.
4. Timely harvesting
Jerusalem artichoke has very strong disease resistance, and diseases rarely occur during its growth process, so basically no pesticides need to be used. However, it is occasionally harmed by aphids; after aphids appear, spraying water can eliminate them. The harvest time for Jerusalem artichoke is generally after the autumn frost each year. When harvesting, directly dig out the tubers, then wash the soil off the tubers thoroughly and they can be marketed. If seeds are to be kept, then during harvesting, select and keep some small tubers and bury them in the soil. The next year they can emerge, and then thinning and replanting should be done well.
The above is a brief introduction to the planting methods for Jerusalem artichoke. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!