The plant began to grow Jerusalem artichoke Indians of North America, and from there it was brought to Europe by the French colonists. Despite the fact that the planting of Jerusalem artichoke in Europe started earlier than the planting of potatoes, the latter is being grown much more actively in our time. Initially, the reproduction of Jerusalem artichoke was taken up by France, and then by the whole of Europe. The first mention of the fact that the Slavs grew Jerusalem artichoke, date back to the XVIII century. They tried Jerusalem artichoke and learned how to grow it properly only in the 30s of the XX century. Special attention was paid to the cultivation of this culture at the Maikopskaya selection station. In Jerusalem artichoke here even appeared new hybrid varieties, the most famous of them - the sunflower. This hybrid of this culture is mainly grown in order to give it to food for pets.
Grow Jerusalem artichoke properly
Planting of Jerusalem artichoke is made in the early spring, for this purpose a 50 * 50 centimeter scheme is used. You can plant and much more often, but at the same time yields are reduced and smaller tubers are obtained. This plant is extremely unpretentious to the composition of the soil, it does not take root only in marshy areas or on very acidic soil. The plant creates a vast shadow, in which many weeds do not survive.
This culture is very resistant to drought, there is no need to worry about how to keep Jerusalem artichoke in winter, because it tolerates cold frosts to -40. No diseases Jerusalem artichoke especially do not bother, which means unpretentiousness in caring for it. This plant is enough to plant, and remember about it, when it's time to clean the Jerusalem artichoke tubers. If you leave part of the tubers in the ground, most of them will germinate in the spring, because Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial plant.
Harvest Jerusalem artichoke in the beginning-middle of October. The green tops are used to feed cattle, and the tubers are used for food. The only minus of Jerusalem artichoke tubers is that they are very poorly kept, so it makes sense to take only half of the harvest from autumn, leaving the second half until spring in the ground.
The use of Jerusalem artichoke
With how to grow Jerusalem artichoke, figured out, now it remains to find out what its tubers are useful for humans. The structure of tubers of this plant includes pectin, sugar, mineral salts, amino acids, protein and a huge amount of vitamins. And even in artichoke, you can find insulin, the very substance that saves lives for diabetics. There is documented evidence that prolonged systematic use of tubers of this culture significantly reduces the sugar content in the blood. Scientists advise eating Jerusalem artichoke not only for diabetics, but for those who have a tendency to this disease. Nutritionists recommend eating two or three raw tubers on the eve of the main meal.
If you eat Jerusalem artichoke every day,
The ingestion of this useful culture stimulates the functioning of the immune system, which provides additional protection against viruses and infections. Useful substances that are contained in this plant, oppress the growth of populations of all kinds of parasites and bacteria. And this plant promotes the development of useful microflora in the stomach, creating all the necessary conditions for reproduction of useful microorganisms. Daily intake of Jerusalem artichoke for food will be very useful for those who suffer from chronic gastric disorders. Tasty, useful and easily grown culture, is not it?