Topic: Chelsea-Chopping Jerusalem Artichokes?

[irridium]

my JA are about 4.5ft tall now and I hear they could do with a Chelsea-type of Chop (tho' not in May but when they get to a certain height) and it's meant to encourage more growth, tho' I can't remember in tuber size or yield - does anyone do this at all? they're dead easy to grow, aren't they - most suitable for a beginner  i can't wait to roast them (used to cook them in soups)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've never heard of that; I just leave them alone.

[earlybirds]

they make a great screen if you are in a windy situation  very underated vegetable , good for insects and slugs hate them , mal in billingshurst .

[goodlife]

No I would not chop them neither..after all you are not growing them for flowers but tubers...and it is the top growth that feeds the tubers.
I've always left mine to grow their full potential and die down naturally before digging any out and resulted good size tubers.
I suppose you could try one plant..then you know what will happen...

[Ian Pearson]

I agree ; give it a try with half of the row, then see what difference (if any) it makes. Then let us all know!

[artichoke]

I've always chopped them back to make a hedge in front  of  compost pile (Messy Heap Method). I've always had enough roots in the winter, though I suppose I could have had more. Their side shoots spring out and thicken the hedge and hold the Messy Heap back off the path. And the Messy Heap must feed and mulch  them to a certain extent. No flowers, of course.

Left alone I find they fall over, look messy, get in the way.

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

Left alone I find they fall over How deep do you plant yours? Mine can take hurricane winds and still keep upright.. ;D I could almost tempt to climb on mine.. ::) ;D
They do look messy once the are starting to die down but then I chop them if needs to be.
Mine are planted quite deep..good 8-10" at least.

[artichoke]

I suppose mine are about that deep, or perhaps a little less. I have to dig very deep to get some of them out. I find the stems  snap in strong  winds, rather than falling over because of shallow planting.

[irridium]

i've only got about 8 tubers, so on Sunday I did only one chop as an experiment and i'll keep you informed as to the yield i get. mine are planted i think about 6" deep and about 9" apart. They're at the back of the bed next to a hedge, so there's no chance of them falling over or shading the other plants i've got growing in the same bed. the soil is a bit clayey in parts on this bed, so I do hope there won't be slug-bitten by the time i harvest them ??? ???