Jerusalem Artichokes

[jlottie]

Tried these out last year and they now have lovely yellow daisy like flowers which is an unexpected bonus. When is the right time to harvest?

[Lesley Jay]

Any time between now and spring. You should chop the foliage down to about 12 inches once it has turned brown in the autumn. I don't think you should have let them flower really.

[annie trip]

I left mine to flower as wasnt sure what to do with it, looked quite inedible to me ! Plus only had one so hopefully if they spread may get a few more next year.

[Lesley Jay]

I think you should take the flower buds off when they appear.

[Earthbabe]

I agree and that's what I did last year. They haven't flowered this year but most of the plants this year are from last year's left overs. I think they are supposed to be out of the ground by about the end of feb. Planting then takes place again feb/march.

You will probably find you don't need to sow many unless you are 110% certain that you got all of this year's out. They will happily propagate from any tubers left in the soil and behold you have a perennial crop.

[jlottie]

Oh bother, I didn't know about the flowers.

What should I do with them? I suppose if I leave them until they have finished flowering and then cut them back I will have to wait until next year

[Palustris]

Beware, it has taken me three years to get rid of the things. They SPREAD as badly as couch grass or ground elder and every tiny scrap of bulb left in the ground will grow. Why get rid of them? Well no one else likes them and no matter how we prepared them they gave me excrutiatingly painful wind. AND mine never flowered anyway!

[shirley]

I don't think I will bother with them at all. And certainly I do not need anything that will give my husband more wind........

[NOG]

Also don't harvest them like Potatoes, cut the foliage back and then lift a few at a time.

I let mine flower then dug them all up...4 bucket loads. But they dn't store so I had to take mine to work so they wouldn't be recomposted.

[jlottie]

Ta for your replies, seems like they might be a bit of a disaster. I grew chard a couple of years ago and I couldn't give it a way, good for the compost bin though

[Earthbabe]

I wouldn't compost the artichokes without squishing them first. You never know what may happen. They can grow like Topsy and you could have a compost bin full of triffids.

[Nicos]

If you could get hold of a couple of tubours and sink them into the ground in pots...you might be able to contain them. The roots may however sneek through the holes in the base....May be worth a try?
Be aware that they do grow tall and cast shade on your other plants
I had a great idea of planting them next to a fence for support - only to find it really tricky to get at the tubours. Needless to say , I have a lovely crop again this year!!!
Oooops- s'cuse me!!

[Palustris]

One thing we did discover was that mashed up, the hens adored them and ate every scrap we threw for them with 'blowing up' either.

[Snadger]

One thing we did discover was that mashed up, the hens adored them and ate every scrap we threw for them with 'blowing up' either.

I have heard that gamekeepers plant them to attract pheasants, they like the cover and judging by your hens response, they probably enjoy the tubers as well!