Neither artichokes, nor from Jerusalem

JERUSALEM artichokes were one of the first things I grew when I got the gardening bug and they’ve been present in my garden ever since. Everything about them makes me feel good (caveats apply; see a few paragraphs down). They are trouble-free and delicious, but—and I don’t say this lightly—I might grow them even if I didn’t find them delicious, such is their generosity throughout the year.

Firstly, let’s deal with their, which appears to have morphed into Jerusalem over the centuries. They are native to the river basins of the US, which perhaps explains why they thrived when I grew them close to the River Otter here in Devon. They love both full sun and a fertile, moist soil.