Harvesting Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers (Helianthus tuberosus)

In this video, Dan from http://www.plantabundance.com takes you along as he harvests some Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers that were growing in the front yard.

The Jerusalem Artichoke' know by it's botanical name 'Helianthus tuberosus' is a hardy perennial plant that produces annual sunflowers and edible tubers with a similar consistency of potatoes. Hardy to zone 4 and tolerant of most soil conditions, the plants can grow quite aggressively. Choosing a dedicated location to plant them can be wise as they're more than likely to return year after year even if you harvest all that you can see. First cultivated by the Native Americans long before the arrival of the Europeans, the 'Jerusalem Artichoke' has long served as an abundant food crop. Today in the kitchen 'Jerusalem Artichokes' are commonly roasted or made into soups or chips. And because they do not store starch as their main carbohydrate but instead store 'Inulin', not to be confused with 'Insulin', they can make a great alternative to the potato for those with diabetes. Today's harvest netted nearly 8 lbs of tubers and I look forward to next year when once again the 'Jerusalem Artichoke' will greet us with it's beauty.