I planted my artichokes too closely together and would like to space them further apart and possibly move them to a different location altogether. Any advice on the gest way to do this would be really appreciated.
Dig them up, move them if you want to, then ruthlessly remove all the accidentals or you'll never be rid of them on the original site. Plant tender veg in that bed next June, by which time you'll have got all the accidentals. If you're leaving them on the same spot, don't worry too much about the spacing; you just dig them each year, and the ones you miss grow to produce the following year's crop. Spacing is all over the place after a year or two, and it really doesn't matter.
@robert-brenchley,
are you sure you don´t mean jerusalem artichokes?
look:
globeartichoke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_artichoke)
jerusalem artichoke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke)
Globe artichokes are pretty tough,so dig them out now,split as required and replant where you want. It might be advisable to leave them a season before you take a crop to allow them to establish themselves.
They are definitely Globe's-thanks for your advice. I will dig them out next time I am down at my plot.
Sorry; I'm recovering from a series of attacks of migraine, and I'm not reading things properly!
No worries Robert. We all do it and the advice you gave re-Jerusalem Artichokes was spot on.