Sun Chokes: Pots vs Ground - My First Growing Experiment

This week, I started something completely new in the garden — growing sun chokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes. It’s my first time trying them, and after hearing so many mixed opinions, I decided the best way forward was to test things properly.

Some gardeners love them. Others avoid them completely because of how easily they spread. So instead of guessing, I’m running a simple experiment: growing them in the ground and in a container to see which works best.

Why Test Sun Chokes?

There are three main reasons I wanted to try this:

• I’ve never grown them before
• They’re known for spreading quickly
• Space is limited in my garden

Sun chokes are perennial, and if you leave even small pieces in the soil, they’ll grow back year after year. That’s great if you love them, not so great if they start taking over.

So the plan is to grow them in controlled spaces and see what happens.

Test 1: In the Ground (Small Raised Bed)

The first batch went into my smallest raised bed. This keeps them isolated from the rest of the garden while still letting them grow in soil.

The bed has already been fed with chicken manure and covered with Strulch, so it’s full of nutrients and healthy soil life. Worm activity is strong, which is always a good sign.

I planted the tubers about 4–6 inches deep and spaced them roughly 60cm apart. They’re planted in a similar way to potatoes, but without the need for chitting.

Sun chokes grow more like sunflowers than potatoes and can reach around 2 metres tall, so giving them space is important. I’ve also positioned them so I can grow other crops around them later in the season.

Test 2: In a Large Container


The second test is in a large container filled with the same soil mix — including chicken manure and Strulch — used in the raised beds.

To keep things fair:

• Same compost
• Same planting time
• Same location
• Same weather conditions

The container sits right next to the raised bed, so the only real difference is where the roots are growing.

This setup should give me a clear comparison between controlled container growing and ground planting.

Why People Worry About Sun Chokes

Sun chokes have a reputation for being difficult to control. When you harvest them, it’s almost impossible to remove every tuber. Any left behind will regrow.

That’s why many gardeners avoid planting them directly into open ground. Once established, they can keep coming back year after year.

Another concern is removal. If you decide you don’t like them, getting rid of them can be a real challenge.

Because this is my first time growing them, I also want the option to change direction if we don’t enjoy eating them.

Winter Protection

Once planted, I added another layer of Strulch on top. This helps:

• Protect against frost
• Lock in moisture
• Keep weeds down
• Feed the soil slowly

It should also help them settle in while temperatures are still low.

My Prediction

If I had to guess:

• The container-grown sun chokes will be easier to control
• The raised bed plants will probably grow bigger

But gardening is full of surprises, so we’ll see how it plays out over the season.

What Happens Next?

This is just the start of the experiment. I’ll be sharing regular updates as they grow and comparing:

• Height
• Yield
• Ease of harvesting
• Ease of control

By the end of the season, we should have a clear answer to whether pots or ground are better for sun chokes.

If you’ve grown them before, I’d love to hear your experiences, especially how you’ve kept them under control.

👉 Watch the full test here:

Sun Chokes: Pots vs Ground Experiment

More updates coming soon.