Wanted: Jerusalem artichoke tubers

I could go for a drive and dig some up, but I wondered whether anyone has done some breeding for larger, more tender tubers, etc.

You may want to to check Craig's list. I found some in Albuquerque and am doing some trading for them. Don't know the variety, but they do grow well here.

Oikos trees has some named varieties which I'll be trying this year.

Pat, thanks for the oikos tip!

I have some from an organic farm that I'm planning on planting.  I will also be digging up some from a friend very soon.
Hit me up if you're still in need.
peace
michael
708-9298
cascadian edible landscapes

I had success with store bought tubers ,they all budded and are growing now

Checked my traded for sunchokes yesterday and they are budding and starting to send out new growth.

I know its the end of the growing season for these but I just found out about them and would love to get a crop going in the green house for next spring. 

Michael, Pat, You two seem fairly knowlagable, any ideas where I could get a box of tubers to get shipped to North Florida?

thanks,

Randall

Hi Randall,
        How much do you want? I posted a while ago in the "have for sale" area having a couple of hundreds of pounds available from this years crop. Haven't dug them all up yet-soil here is pretty dry and easy to work.
      Or you can contact Oikos Trees for some.
Pat

Hay Pat,
            How much depends on how it propogates.  Ive convinced the other half to set aside a an area about 900sq ft for these.  the ultimate goal is to use these as supplemental chicken and goat food through the winter (Im sure a few will make it to the people as well). 

Knowing all that, roughly how many plants would mature (by the end of next summer if they were started in the green house) per pound of fresh bulbs?

thanks,

Randall

Hi Hmmm,
      From what I learned this year size matters. Leave the little bitties in the ground for the next year as they don't seem to transport well. The medium size tubers would be what I would suggest for pot culture. The big ones need to be divided and they do make well when cut up(like potatoes you do want one or more "eyes" per cut up piece, but think they would do better in the ground.
      I haven't tried using them as goat food other than the sunflower top part. My ladies love sunflower leaves and flowers. The tubers should work well as poultry,  pig food or cattle feed. Will be doing that next year myself-just going by what I know of the other animals and birds typical eating habits.
      What size pots are you planning on using for these? When digging these up I have found they can be spread a couple of feet across and may be a foot down. That was on medium sized tubers. I don't think this is something you want to crowd in too small a pot.
      As long as tubers are planted right away the propagation and success is pretty good, better than 90%. The only ones I lost this year were  small ones I didn't get planted quick enough. The other tubers made up for it though. Ten feet of a double row of small/medium yielded better than 10 lbs or roughly 1/2 lb.per plant. Some had 4x times that-those that got the most water (planted them in a keyhole-which used to suck up water off the roof  after it went through the terraces). Think a lb + per plant is a good guesstimate based on what I've already dug up.
        Sunchokes will send out multiple stems given a chance. If there is more than one eye on a tuber, they definitely should  produce multiple shoots. Care will dictate how many new plants(tubers) you'll get as they do like moisture, but also periods of relatively dry conditions. Think they do need to dry out a bit between waterings- just an observation.
      Did have some yellowing leaves later in the monsoon season after we had 1.5 inches 4 X in a month. That's a lot here. As soon as it stopped raining most grew new leaves and were ok, it was the smaller tubers that didn't make it. Would say drainage is important.
    I'll have to weigh out some tubers to see how many should make a lb and will let you later tomorrow. Have to work in the am.

Pat
       
     

Sounds good Pat,  Ive got about 10 2' diamater by 1' deep pots I was going to start them in.  Figured I could at least get a root and  stem going on 2 tubers per pot.  These pots are pretty easy to get here so I can always get more.  Im assuming they can be transplanted... 

The key hole and watering requirments you mentioned will fit well with the area I was looking at.  Let me know what your thinking about for price and we can take it from there for amounts.

  Randall.

Oh, where did your root stock come from originally?  Is this a type of crop that has any heavy GMO modifications?  What have you used for fertilizer or pest control?  Im not looking for an organic certification but do want to know what Im introducing to my property..

Hi Randall,
    I'm just looking for $2 per lb. I'll know after getting back from work later approx. how many tubers are in a lb.
     
The original stock came from a eco-gardener in Albuquerque. He got his original tubers from La Montanita an organic store/shop in the Nob Hill area of Albuquerque.

You may want to look at a local Farmer's Market or local organic grocer yourself to save money on shipping. 

Pat

At $2/lb Im still intereted and recognise your not out to make a liiving off these.  I do appreciate your effort to share your knowlege and time.

  When you get a chance your welcome to give me a call and work it out.  The shipping at a flat rate with usps is around $15 up to 70 lb.  My # is 352 281 3478.

Randall

I'm in south GA and have a big patch I started 4 years ago from 6 tubers. It seems to love it here in this sandy soil.
I added compost and it took off. I had to throw away a lot of it, cause it was getting aggressive and taking over my garden areas, and getting into my grape vine areas too. Come spring, I'll have a lot more to move or give away.
I highly recommend adding a mulch cover over cardboard for the walkways between the rows of them. They grew into the walkways under the cardboard and were a lot bigger there and easier to dig out.

Thought I would add I am in the market for some as well I am happy to pay shipping and can either trade you something from my garden or pay you for your time. PM for details. Thanks!

Horizon Herbs has them in stock, I got a 5 pack so as to have some planted ASAP while I'm getting some locally this spring.

If people are still looking for sunchokes, I bought one, ONE, pound at Whole Foods last spring in San Jose, cut them up, planted them, halfway kept them watered, and had to dig them all at once because we were moving. They store nicely in buckets of sand in my garage...but we have about 75 pounds. I can spare a few pounds to get people going, without anyone around here missing too many farts. I'm in the Bitterroot Valley, in MT.