Anybody grow jerusalem artichoke?

Has anybody grown them 0or ate them? I like the idea of a perenial vegetable besides asparagus which I'm not fond of. Are they any good to eat? Easy, hard to grow? Any tips?

I'm not currently growing them, but they are fairly easy. I think they might require a longer season. The taste and texture remind me of water chestnuts. The carbohydrates are in the form of inulin which can be handled in diabetic diets. Here's more info:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/jerusart.html

Yuska

Thanks for the link, lots of good info. The variety I was considering is from Johnny's and takes 90 days, My zone can handle that. Can you leave them in the ground over winter does anyone know? Say dig up your harvest and just replant your seed tubers immediatly? I ask this because they are supposed to be native to the northern 2/3 of the country. The water chestnut taste sounds really good to me, be nice to at least grow some for salads. I saw a couple of links for sites with recipees when I googled them and I think I will check those out. Anybody else have experience with these?

Hi Spot, I had them in a large area of the yard when I bought a house in NH. Even if you don't touch them they come up every year. They look like a garden of sunflowers to those who don't know what they are. Really tall. They do spread. The flavor is good, but I have to confess I didn't have a lot of uses for them figured out. The flavor is good. So are daylilies. I just could never bring myself to dig them all up and eat them. ;)

What I would like to do is dig some and leave some, perpetual food kind of thing. Sounds like they could be what I'm looking for if I like the taste which I think I will. I know daylillies are edible but haven't tried any yet. The only way I have ever heard of eating them is in salads, anybody have any other suggestions as to how to eat them?

Spot, these are are sold in the grocery stores as sunchokes, You may want to try them before you commit. Some folks like them, some don't. But once started they are difficult to get rid of. Pretty tho as they are a sunflower. To me they taste like an Irish potato dipped in iodine, so I am not one of those who like them.

Hmm. Irish potato dipped in iodine, nope that doesn't sound good. The only problem is most of the time vegetables from the grocery store don't taste as good as the real thing. I dont like green beans unless they are fresh from the garden, but then I really enjoy them. Guess I'll try them and keep that in mind. Doesn't appear they are very popular as their ease of growing would suggest they should be so maybe you are not the only one to make that analogy. LOL

I grow them for the flowers. Have some planted in a sort of wet spot, some in dry spots and some in good soil. In all instances, they do equally well. LIZ

I'm growing them for the first time this year. My parents have been growing them for a couple of years and we always eat them roasted like potatoes. Delicious! I can't say I'd be tempted to try them raw though.

As noted in this thread the Jerusalem artichokes do spread so be sure to put them in a spot where you don't mind if they become permanent! We inherited the stand we have when we bought this property 37 years ago. The flower is beautiful but I must constantly dig them back so they don't move into other garden areas. Our neighbor thought she had gotten rid of hers at one point but they came back with a beautiful vengeance so every year she points out the stand of artichokes that "aren't there"! Enjoy them but be careful where you plant them!

Here are some links to the culinary history and some sample recipes so you can see what other folks are doing with sunchokes.

scroll down to the bottom of this page for recipes:
http://www.samcooks.com/relish/jerusalem_artichokes.htm

Carrot and Artichoke Soup
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/carrot-and-artichoke-soup,1082,RC.html


Salad Roasted Beetroot and Jerusalem Artichokes with Baby Spinach and Walnuts
http://www.foodiesite.com/recipes/2001-12/beetjartichsalad.jsp

I grow them or should I say they grow themselves.The deer seem to like them so I don't have the problem of having them spread too much.

They are a very good crop to grow as they are very healthy and can be used to regulate and control blood sugar.Anyone who is prediabetic or has hypoglysemia should give them a try before taking meds.

I grow them in my zone 6 garden and not at the beach.

I have grown them for years, but mostly eat them raw. I don't peel them, just slice about 1/4 inch and spread with peanut butter or whatever one desires. I think they are very good and and healthy snack.

Donna