Topic: jerusalem artichokes

[aquilegia]

Hi everyone

Sorry I've not been on here much recently, too busy doing the christmas thing to think about gardening!

I got some jerusalem artichokes in my veg box this week. There are a few tubers left. Can I plant these to grow more? If so, when? (I've googled, but couldn't find the answer!)

[valmarg]

Yes.  I think you can.

valmarg

[Flighty]

I would give it a go!  Plant them in February or March, about 6" deep and 15" apart, and remember that they grow to 9 feet or more so be careful where you put them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Shove them in, they're almost indestructible.

[GodfreyRob]

Shove them in, they're almost indestructible.

They sure are!

They will need support though in an exposed spot. But if you string them up between a couple of posts they can protect anything downwind.

Nigel Slater had a great recipe for them last night:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/winter_roots_and_lemon_06059

[aquilegia]

Shove them in, they're almost indestructible.

Nigel Slater had a great recipe for them last night:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/winter_roots_and_lemon_06059

It was watching that that made me think about growing them! I don't have quite enough left to roast!

Will they keep ok until I can plant them out? They are in a paper bag in the fridge at the moment. Would they be better in the shed? (they'd certainly be better protected from pests (ie - me!) eating them!)

I can plant them along the south side of the hedge, so they won't shade anything out and they will be fairly well protected from wind.

Talking of which, I must get some winter savoury too!

Thanks for the replies.

[lottie lou]

I have bunged mine in a pot of compost to stop them shrivelling up.  At least with a bit of luck this will give them a head start

[valmarg]

Shove them in, they're almost indestructible.

.. they can protect anything downwind.

Nigel Slater had a great recipe for them last night:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/winter_roots_and_lemon_06059

And downwind is where you want to be of anyone who has eaten them. ;D ;D

Also if memory serves, Nigel Slater dug up some that had been left in the gound from summer.

valmarg

[pumkinlover]

[/quote]

And downwind is where you want to be of anyone who has eaten them. ;D ;D



valmarg

[/quote]

Surely downwind is where you don't want to be!!!! :)
Anne x

[valmarg]

And downwind is where you want to be of anyone who has eaten them. ;D
valmarg
[/quote]
Surely downwind is where you don't want to be!!!! :)
Anne x
[/quote]

Oh dear, I think I missed out the word 'don't. ie 'Down wind is where you don't want to be.

Jerusalem artichokes would not be a veg I would recommend.  Not very tasty.

valmarg

[GodfreyRob]

And downwind is where you want to be of anyone who has eaten them. ;D
valmarg

Surely downwind is where you don't want to be!!!! :)
Anne x

Oh dear, I think I missed out the word 'don't. ie 'Down wind is where you don't want to be.

Jerusalem artichokes would not be a veg I would recommend.  Not very tasty.

valmarg

Got to beg to differ here.
They are at least as tasty as spuds and offer a reliable alternative (in that they seldom fail to poduce a crop).

Someone mentioned Winter Savoury - now thats a beautiful plant, adds real depth to stews, roasts, etc. and is underused.
Its funny how we undervalue crops that we can grow here and look to imported stuff.

Look at:

Horseradish
Mustard
Winter Savoury
Sage
Ransoms
Beetroot
Swede
Brussel Sprouts

Now thats exotic!



 

[Froglegs]

I was wondering if the ones i've left in the ground have been damaged by all the bad Frost(-11) we had, have not been down the plot since Xmas eve so have not had Chance to cheek on them. ???

[GodfreyRob]

I was wondering if the ones i've left in the ground have been damaged by all the bad Frost(-11) we had, have not been down the plot since Xmas eve so have not had Chance to cheek on them. ???

I would bet they are just fine - they are from north america and our winters are but a cool summer to them - I beleive the pilgrim fathers were saved by them after a hard winter (and the local indians let them into the secret).

[aquilegia]

Jerusalem artichokes would not be a veg I would recommend.  Not very tasty.

valmarg

Really? I love them! They have a nice nutty taste.

But only in small doses!

[grannyjanny]

Can they be any worse than lentils for downwind problems ;) ;D.

[goodlife]

Can they be :o...lentils are like little ripple of the surface of the lake..JA's are like monster sunami on ocean :-X..unfortunately ::)
I think JA's are loooovely..yummy.......I just haven't got the courage to start munching yet..ground is only just thawed and now they are ready and available for eating...but the weather is been so nice and calm resently..I would not like to disturb the patern.

[macmac]

Beware where you plant them as we've been trying to dig ours OUT for the last few years and we haven't managed yet :(

[bionear2]

Beware where you plant them as we've been trying to dig ours OUT for the last few years and we haven't managed yet :(

How true, they are very invasive - take your eye off the ball, and your plot can become an artichoke plantation!

[Obelixx]

I found my first crop very eeasy to dig out and delicious to eat.  I've had to wait 5 years to find the right rounded variety - as opposed to very lumpy and bumpy - to plant them again and now they're frozen in the ground.   However, I found some nice chunky ones in teh shop yesterday so will eat half and plant half in pots till I can get them in the ground.

Excellent flavour.  Versatile.  Very low carbs and low GI index.   Perfect vegetable.  If you don't usually eat a lot of raw veggies in salads or high fibre fruit and veg, I advise probiotic yoghurt to help digest them more easily and produce less wind.

[Robert_Brenchley]

We've had them in three gardens going back to when I was a kid, and they've never spread. The way to get them out is to wait till April, then take them out as they emerge. That way you get the lot.