Storing Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers over winter

[Samurailord]

This week I was lucky enough to get a kilo or so of Jerusalem Artichoke tubers in my organic veg bag, but as no one else in the house wants to even try them I thought that I would have a go at planting them and seeing how they get on.

Now everything I have read suggests that tubers should be planted after the last frost, and harvested after the first frost, but that tubers left in the ground will survive over winter quite easily.

My question is - can the tubers I have got go in the ground now in readiness for next year or do I have to wait until next Feb, and if so how can I store them to make sure they will last the winter?

Thanks

Andy

[arpoet]

Last year, when forced to give up my allotment, i dug up my (f)artichokes in October, and i stored them in very dry potting compost in the greenhouse over winter, selecting a few every week to deep fry with my steak.
I planted what were left in March and soon i will be harvesting and storing them.
Beware! plant them in a perminant position as they will keep on regrowing for donkeys years.
Roger

[veggiechicken]

I leave mine in the ground as I'm trying to ignore them, knowing their evil effects. But every year I weaken & dig some up, convinced that my digestion can cope - it can't, neither can the dogs!
I'm sure they will be safe if you planted them now, or kept them frost free as suggested by arpoet!
Eat some first, then decide whether you want a permanent Windbreak on your plot!

[Mr Bones]

I store JA's in tubs of compost in the garden. Left open to the elements even the most severe freezing doesn't seem to bother them. (Love JA's as water chestnut substitutes but as already said, best not to eat too many in one go).

[chris]

I got mine from VC, and left them in a cold room - no heating. They lasted ages, before they started to dry out, so I just bunged them in a trug. and left them too it. They're about 6' tall at the mo, lost most of their leaves apart from the top ones. Going to have a look through them and see if they've formed and tubers

[Glutton4...]

I've just cut down a load for a customer. He grows them for their flowers, despite the fact they are twice his height! His loose sandy soil means that they grow like chuff, and he gives me bags of them. I was intending to plant them as a summer screen to hide the view into the garden from the footpath, but we've decided we're not staying, so I may just keep them! Not sure I'll risk eating them...

[Bren In Pots]

I love (f)artichoke gratin and according to Alys Fowler if you add Winter savoury its supposed to stop the 'wind' effect.

[arpoet]

Oh, Dear... tempted by this thread, and fancy some for dinner i got my spade out and dug down.. Nowt.... Zilch.... looks like another victim of the rain.
Story of my year.
Roger

[Samurailord]

Thanks for all the replies.

It looks like I will be eating some (but not too many) and then storing the rest in dry compost in the unheated conservatory over the winter.

Beware! plant them in a perminant position as they will keep on regrowing for donkeys years.
Roger

I have the perfect place sorted out for them - on the top corner boundary of my plot I have a raised pond that the previous plot holder built (about the only thing they did over nearly two seasons).

For some reason they built it about a metre in from the path on one side, so I will have an enclosed space of roughly 1m x 2m, and a tall screen there will stop too much direct light falling on the pond surface and encouraging duck weed.

It will also provide a bit of privacy and a wind break as I am intending making a sitting area on the other side of the pond.

I had been considering sunflowers or perhaps dwarf hops for this area.

I might mix and match hops and artichokes, one small clump of each at either end of the patch, and see how they co-exist.

It would be nice to have a lush screen that will provide both food and drink

Andy

[mothhawk]

I leave mine in the ground as I'm trying to ignore them, knowing their evil effects. But every year I weaken & dig some up, convinced that my digestion can cope - it can't, neither can the dogs!
I'm sure they will be safe if you planted them now, or kept them frost free as suggested by arpoet!
Eat some first, then decide whether you want a permanent Windbreak on your plot!

Are those words in the right order VC? (snigger, snigger)

[veggiechicken]

Would I have been so uncouth as to turn those words around MH Its all in the eye of the Reader!

[mothhawk]

More like in the digestion of the eater!

[hamamelis]

I wouldn't worry too much about correct storage for JAs, last year, I accidently left a carrier bag full of them in the boot of my car. I found them in march, and they were all ok, just starting to put out fine roots. I planted a few, and just dug up this year's bag full a few days ago.

They're tough!