Jerusalem artichoke tubers (Arcadia nr Baldwin-Stocker Sch)

Last call for sunchokes. The tubers begin to sprout (like potatoes) in March, so the tubers are no longer suitable for cooking and eating, but they are still fine for planting. Plant some tubers now and wait a few months (until November) for harvest, which continues through February.

For cooking, prepare and use like a potato -- clean thoroughly with a toothbrush and water, slice / dice then boil, steam, bake or fry. I have even shredded and fried them as hash browns.

For planting, choose a sunny location, perhaps against a wall -- the stalks will reach over 8 feet tall. After the stalks die in November, cut them about knee-high and begin harvesting the tubers. Dig only what you need for cooking -- the un-dug tubers will store well in the soil. February is the final harvest as the tubers begin to sprout around March 1.

These are not fussy to grow and they produce lovely small sunflowers in Autumn. With good sunlight / soil / water, each plant will yield 5 pounds of tubers. Ideal for preppers. Plant once, harvest forever as any unharvested tubers will sprout into new plants. They are easy to remove, so no danger of becoming a pest in your garden.