Did you ever think about growing Jerusalem Artichokes? Instead of buying seeds, you buy tubers. Also, you eat the tubers that grow underground. The tuber has a nutty flavor and can be used raw in salads or cooked. These tubers can be used as a potato substitute too.
This plant can be invasive and can be a perennial in zones 3 and above. I am thinking about growing this plant in a grow bag so it doesn’t invade my other vegetables. Depending on the variety, this tuber will produce a tall yellow flower above ground.
Just like when we talked about cardoon seed ideas the other day, it is also hard to find Jerusalem artichoke tubers. I found these tubers for sale in only two of my favorite seed catalogs.
1) Stampede from Johnny’s Selected Seeds which ships in early to mid October for fall planting.
2) The one from the Vermont Bean Seed Company ships between March 1st and mid-May.
If you are not sure whether you want to grow them and don’t want to buy a pound, you can always go to a grocery store and find organic tubers to grow. If they don’t say organic, they might have been sprayed so they don’t start sprouting. When looking for them in the grocery store, they may have them labeled as sunchokes or Jerusalem artichokes.
