Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also known as sunchoke or sunroot, is a hardy edible sunflower grown for its crisp, nutty-flavoured tubers. Easy to grow and highly productive, Jerusalem artichokes are a wonderful addition to the home garden and can provide abundant harvests year after year.
Our tubers are grown naturally at KoruKai Herb Farm without synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides.
Each order contains 3 tubers. Choose either 3 small or 3 large tubers using the options above.
.jpeg)
One plant when grown well produces the below quantity of edible tubers. You will get 5-10 times as much as you planted.
After one growing season select the best artichokes and plant them again.
Growing instructions, harvesting tips and recipes can be found here.
Growing Instructions
Plant the tubers into the ground or into large pots as soon as you receive them.
Choose a sunny position with well-aerated, free-draining soil. Jerusalem artichokes prefer evenly moist soil — they dislike both waterlogged and very dry conditions. Before planting, enrich the soil with plenty of good-quality compost. They especially thrive in rich homemade compost, but well-rotted manure such as sheep manure is also excellent.
On Banks Peninsula, we plant our tubers from late July to early August. Shoots usually emerge once the soil temperature warms to around 12°C.
Space tubers approximately 40cm apart in a diamond pattern. Plant them just below soil level and cover with a generous layer of organic mulch to help retain moisture and build healthy soil. Suitable mulches include:
- Straw or hay
- Autumn leaves
- Grass clippings
- Twigs
- Seaweed
Jerusalem artichokes grow into tall sunflower-like plants and reward minimal effort with a plentiful harvest of delicious tubers.
Here are more ideas for mulches in your garden.
