Jerusalem artichoke (earthen pear) is not a crop, but it is grown in vegetable gardens because of its beneficial properties, and some gourmets like the peculiar taste of tubers, similar to sweet potatoes.
The plant, because of the tall flower, looks like a sunflower, and the tubers look like ginger. They say the best way to destroy Jerusalem artichoke is to eat it.
But what about those owners of plants who simply do not like him? Is it worth destroying topinambur in the garden? And what methods of getting rid of this plant exist? Learn about this in the article.
Features of culture growth
Jerusalem artichoke is a resistant plant that grows very quickly. Having planted a Jerusalem artichoke as a green barrier from neighbors, in a few years it will take a lot of space, thereby pushing aside ornamental plants or crops.
The roots of the earthen pears go deeper by more than half a meter, and if even the smallest part remains during the destruction, next year the greenery will appear again. Without knowing the characteristics of the growth of Jerusalem artichoke and proven ways to get rid of it, attempts to destroy this plant will not succeed.
Is it worth getting rid of?
Pondering whether to destroy Jerusalem artichoke, it is worth weighing the pros and cons. If the gardener's taste is pleasant, there are indications for regular consumption (diabetes, dysbacteriosis), then leave a large garden bed with Jerusalem artichoke worth it. In addition, he has a lot of useful properties:
- removes toxins and heavy metal salts;
- stimulates the blood supply to the mucous membranes;
- stops vomiting and nausea;
- a person who consumes the roots of Jerusalem artichoke regularly, is resistant to infections and viruses of the digestive tract.
Also high greens serve as an excellent barrier from neighbors, and having cut off the above-ground part in the autumn, it can cover beds with garlic or other winter crops.
It also happens that after planting an earthen pear and gathering the first harvest, the tubers do not like gardeners, there is no indication for regular use, or even there are contraindications (flatulence), and the plant takes a lot of places. Then the only way out is to get rid of the Jerusalem artichoke.
How exactly can not get rid of the plants on the site?
There are methods for the destruction of Jerusalem artichoke, which are widely used by summer residents who have never encountered growths of earthen pears that do not give a result:
- Simplest destruction - cutting of the aerial part, knocking down with a hoe.
- Small digging - the shovel is driven on a bayonet, and the tubers are selected.
- Spring Cutting and annihilation during the year is suitable only in combination with other more efficient methods.
How to bring an earthen pear: step by step instructions
Digging
Even after careful selection of root crops, sprouts in the spring again appear on the surface. The reason is that the roots go down half a meter. Therefore, a deep digging will help:
- Harvested plant trunks.
- At the landing site of the Jerusalem artichoke, a pit is dug a meter deep.
- The pit expands to the sides by a meter in order to exclude the appearance of new plants from lateral roots.
Attention! From the method of deep digging should be abandoned if the Jerusalem artichoke grows over a large area, and there is no country mini tractor, because you have to dig ten cubes of soil by hand, which is very time-consuming.
Sowing squash
You can get rid of the earthen pear for the season, sowing squash on top of it:
- In the autumn, dig a bed with Jerusalem artichoke and remove all roots.
- With the first heat to dig again.
- After the first shoots of Jerusalem artichoke - the last digging, after which zucchini are sown.
- At about the same time, when large leaves grow at the zucchini, the next shoots of the earthen pear appear, which are dug up from the root.
On this fight with topinambur should end.
Herbicides
Herbicides are used only in combination with other methods.. It is best to use Roundup or Hurricane, which perfectly copes with the destruction of any weeds. These herbicides must be applied in a solution of high concentration or with a pure preparation, treating the aerial part of the plant. About a week later, the earthen pear will die.
When working with herbicides, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment - a mask, gloves, avoid contact with exposed skin.
Covering
The effectiveness of this method lies in the fact that access to air and light is blocked to young plants, and the Jerusalem artichoke dies. For covering you can use the following materials:
- boards;
- cardboard;
- ruberoid;
- black film;
- old linoleum or carpet.
How to use:
- All roots and the above-ground part of the earth pear are removed to the maximum.
- The soil is tamped.
- Boards fit tightly and pressed into the ground.
- Covered with black film.
- The result is checked next spring.
Instead of boards, you can use thick cardboard, and instead of a film - carpet, linoleum or roofing material. In any case, if you use this method in combination with others, Jerusalem artichoke will die.
It is not recommended to use the covering method only., as there were cases that the earthen pear made its way even through asphalt or concrete.
Haul method
To topinambur did not grow in spring, tubers can rot in the ground:
- In August and September, the soil in the garden with an earthen pear is removed to the depth of the spade.
- The extracted soil is carefully moved from the root crops.
- The pit is generously watered with compost ripening agents.
- Poured over the soil.
- From above spills the same means.
Reference! The method of driving is good because it not only eliminates the topinambur, but in the spring it turns out perfectly fertilized land.
With the help of pigs
This is the most interesting method - to use in the destruction of Jerusalem artichoke ordinary domestic pigs, giving them the greatest access to the root crops. The method is good because the Jerusalem artichoke will no longer exist, and the pigs are full and satisfied, because the Jerusalem artichoke is a delicious delicacy for them. How to do it:
- The earth is digging deeper.
- Root crops are harvested, but not all, you must leave a few sticking out of the ground.
- Around the beds is a pen, so that the pigs do not run away and do not trample other cultures.
- Wait for the pigs to eat the whole Jerusalem artichoke.
The huge disadvantage of this method is that not everyone has the opportunity to get pigs.
Comprehensive measures
Comprehensive measures - this is the use of several methods for the destruction of Jerusalem artichoke at the same time, within one year. And in order not to waste time and energy in vain, it is recommended to resort to complex measures. For complex measures, it is necessary to have a little imagination, difficulties should arise. Here are a few options.
The first is a distillation method with a covering:
- Dig the soil.
- Choose root vegetables.
- Well sift the ground.
- Shedding means for ripening compost.
- Cover with a board, but do not tamp the soil, as a small amount of air is necessary for the maturation of the compost.
- Cover with foil so as not to light.
The second - pigs, herbicides and cover:
- Dig the ground.
- Remove almost all root vegetables.
- To fence the territory.
- Release the pigs.
- After eating root vegetables cover with boards or cardboard, and on top - oilcloth.
- If greens appear in spring, treat it with herbicides.
The third - distilled and zucchini:
- In the fall, remove the roots.
- Spill the ground with a compound for ripening compost.
- In the spring to make a new bulk layer of soil.
- Plant a former garden bed with Jerusalem artichoke zucchini.
Some measures of destruction can not be combined. For example, after the destruction of herbicides, the use of poisons or spills means for compost, you can not let out on the bed of pigs - animals can be poisoned.
Prevention of re-distribution
To topinambur does not grow again, you must perform the following steps:
- When new shoots appear, treat them with herbicides or dig up with the root.
- If nothing is planned to be planted in the place of the earthen pear - cover the bed with black foil.
- A few years on the place where the Jerusalem artichoke grew, sow zucchini.
- Each year, deeply dig the ground, carefully removing the previously missed plant roots.
- Use comprehensive measures to destroy topinambur.
Despite the obvious benefits, Jerusalem artichoke does not please many people, and gardeners often try to bring it out, or at least reduce the place of its growth. It is necessary to combat it throughout the year and use complex methods. If the desire to take an earthen pear from a country house or a kitchen garden is great, then if you follow the instructions and tips, the Jerusalem artichoke will be permanently removed from the site.
