Planting Sunchoke
Sunchoke is a warm season vegetable in the Asteraceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
You can sow Sunchoke directly into the garden 0–2 weeks before your last frost.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Sunchoke room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 18 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 36 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 0.22 |
| Planting depth | 4 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Days to Maturity
Sunchoke reaches maturity in 120–150 days from sowing.
Sunchoke is ready to harvest after about 135 days. Harvest before the first fall frost, which will end the plant's productive season.
Conditions and Care
As a warm-season vegetable, Sunchoke needs warm soil and settled weather to thrive, and is set back or killed by frost. It is frost hardy and can shrug off light freezes, so it can stay in the ground later into the season than tender crops.
Sunchoke needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 4 inches deep, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Sunchoke belongs to the Asteraceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Sunchoke is generally grown as a single planting each season rather than succession sown.
Companion Plants
Pairing Sunchoke with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Keep away from: Potato
Growing Notes
Synonym for Jerusalem artichoke tubers; aggressive spreader.