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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: caroline7758 on March 20, 2013, 16:34:40

Title: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: caroline7758 on March 20, 2013, 16:34:40
i dug up all my JA's a few eeks ago because i wanted to dig over the area where they had been planted. I put some in my fridge and some in my greenhouse, all with soil still attached (quite a lot of soil as it was pretty wet when I dug them up). They have all gone soft now. :(

Do you think this is because of the wet soil? How do you store yours?
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: Flighty on March 20, 2013, 17:16:34
You should have cleaned/washed the soil off, dried them thoroughly then put them in a paper bag.
I did this one autumn, replanted them the following spring when they grew okay. 
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: Ian Pearson on March 20, 2013, 17:30:33
It won't be the soil that has caused the problem, in fact leaving them in the ground is a good way to store them. If the ground is needed, I'd probably store them in a bucket of damp sand or spent compost, but they will be starting to sprout about now.
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: caroline7758 on March 20, 2013, 17:47:16
Thanks for the tips- I'll remember next year. I presume soft tubers won't make good new plants either?
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: Ian Pearson on March 20, 2013, 18:03:08
JAs are hard to kill. I'd guess they'l be fine for replanting unless they are seriously desiccated.
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 20, 2013, 19:40:30
They've probably dried out a bit. Soak them overnight in a bucket of water, and plant them where you want them.
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: small on March 21, 2013, 11:24:39
For eating, I peel and store in the freezer, they come out fine for casseroles which is my principal use.
By the way, I like the notion of 'digging out all the JA's' - the only way I ever cleared a patch completely was to keep pigs on the area!
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: caroline7758 on March 21, 2013, 14:21:29
Quote from: small on March 21, 2013, 11:24:39
For eating, I peel and store in the freezer, they come out fine for casseroles which is my principal use.
By the way, I like the notion of 'digging out all the JA's' - the only way I ever cleared a patch completely was to keep pigs on the area!

Yes, I'm actually hoping I missed some now!
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: saddad on March 22, 2013, 21:51:57
You probably did Caroline... it took several years of digging to get rid of them from one bed..  :BangHead:
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 22, 2013, 23:57:50
I've discovered something that kills them. Waterlogging. I had very few survivors by the end of last year, and it remains to be seen whether any are still alive.

If you really want to get rid of them, dig the ground over, wait till the surviors come up, and lift them individually.
Title: Re: Storing Jerusalem artichokes
Post by: caroline7758 on March 23, 2013, 09:57:45
Quote from: saddad on March 22, 2013, 21:51:57
You probably did Caroline... it took several years of digging to get rid of them from one bed..  :BangHead:

Good to hear from you, David- hope all's well with you?