Harvesting Jerusalem ArtichokeTubers

Unexpected Challenges of Preparing Helianthus tuberosus for Market

Summer Tales for Winter Days

A few years back, Lilly a friend of Nodding Onion Gardens graciously gave us several Jerusalem artichoke tubers. These potato-like tubers, which some folks eat were planted and left undisturbed for three years. In the fall of 2017 it was obvious that they had out grown their original home and needed to be relocated. The apple tree, which was a young seedling at the time of planting, was now blocking precious sunlight.

After carefully removing the tubers, half were planted in one of our gardens and half were potted in anticipation of next season's farmer’s markets. Sounds sensible right? As it turns out, people aren’t the only ones that find Jerusalem artichokes palatable; so do mice, chipmunks, rabbits or maybe even squirrels. Either way garden critters enjoyed a nutritious meal courtesy of Nodding Onion Gardens, potted up and ready to go. Take out food in the natural world.

 Pollinators Enjoying Jerusalem Artichokes,

 Helianthus tuberosus are great pollinator plants

Sharing, the bounty of our efforts typically seems like a generous way to live, however, I must admit selfishness kicks in when it comes to plants tagged for market. How was the best way to protect my precious commodity? Replanting them in the garden was a possibility, yet clearly not the best option as a considerable chunk of time had been invested in digging them up. What about storing them like potatoes? Now there was a reasonable plan.

Twenty pots of tubers were emptied, dried off and stored in the garage. I smugly thought, all would be safe and sound until spring. It didn’t take long to realize that information on line was correct, Jerusalem artichokes are better off left in the ground and don’t store well. Maybe that is why we buy potatoes and not Jerusalem Artichoke tubers. Complicating matters was the fact that a dozen or so had tiny nibbles in them.

Helianthus tuberosus

Feeling a bit like Wile E Coyote in the old TV show Road Runner, I set off determined to protect my precious Jerusalem artichoke tubers! Strangely, I wasn't even certain if there would be a demand for this native plant or not. That was beside the point. Now it had become a matter of pride. Woman vs. nature, or something irrational like that.

Phase four, or was it five. Back in the pots the tubers went! Only they were still sitting ducks. Build a fortress I decided, keep those hungry critters out! So I did! Up the barricade went; plastic crates turned upside down served as the foundation, chicken wire reinforced the structure.

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That should do it, right?? For some reason I highly doubt it.

It has been an especially cold winter here in Ohio; everything is frozen solid, I am certain there truly isn't enough for the critter to feast on. Perhaps a heart of generosity combined with rational thinking earlier in the year would have led to another decision, plant 1/3, pot 1/3 and share the rest.

Note to myself - Leave  Jerusalem Artichoke tubers in the ground until spring!