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Earthen pear: planting Jerusalem artichoke
An earthen pear is the “Cinderella” of the garden. It is so unpretentious that people forget about it immediately after planting and remember it only during the harvest. However, to get a good harvest, you need a little maintenance.
Useful properties of Jerusalem artichoke or ground pear
The closest relative of Jerusalem artichoke is sunflower. Jerusalem artichoke has the same tall stem and bright yellow flowers. The edible roots of this plant are like a caricature of a potato: they are bumpy, in potholes and growths. However, in terms of the richness of nutrients, these funny roots are not only superior to potatoes, but will give odds to almost any vegetable and fruit.
The roots of an earthen pear look like a warty potato
The fresh roots of Jerusalem artichoke contain substances that improve the work of blood vessels, affect joints, metabolism, and lower cholesterol. These roots contain 16 amino acids and also:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- sodium;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- copper;
- silicon;
- zinc;
- fatty and organic acids.
This pear contains inulin, an invaluable carbohydrate for diabetics, as well as fiber, pectins and vitamins A, C and B.
Planting and caring for an earthen pear
Jerusalem artichoke can be propagated by roots and seeds. If you plant the roots, the harvest will be in the fall. Seed planting will only give good roots the next year.
The plant is unpretentious, but it has some requirements. The soil may not be very nutritious, but it should allow air to pass through well. You need to cook it in the fall, for this:
- dig the soil;
- remove weed roots;
- apply manure.
The end of April – the beginning of May is suitable for planting roots. They can be planted whole or cut into pieces that have growth points. Sections must be covered with crushed coal. The distance between the holes is 30-40 cm, the planting depth is 15 cm.
Do not throw Jerusalem artichoke to the mercy of fate. A tall stem must be tied up, the plant itself must be watered, weeded and loosened. Once a month, the sprouts must be fed, first with nitrogen fertilizer, and from July – with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.
In the middle of summer, you need to start forming roots, for this you need to huddle the plant and cut off the buds that have appeared, preventing flowering. You can cut the bush itself, leaving a stem length of 1,5 m.
Tuber ripening period from germination – 120 days
Before harvesting, you need to stop feeding for a month, and cut the stems to 2 cm in 30 weeks. You can dig them out with the first frosts or leave them in the ground for the winter, covered with snow. Overwintered tubers must be dug out, otherwise they will clog the area, growing in all directions. The dug up Jerusalem artichoke should be stored in the refrigerator (it will live there for about 2 months) or kept in the basement as a potato.
Jerusalem artichoke is an invaluable plant that is used in medicine and cooking. It is easy to grow it, but difficult to store, this useful product is too gentle.