Jerusalem artichokes, the looking-after thereof

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Jerusalem artichokes, the looking-after thereof
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Kitchenwitch

Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 25
Location: Devon

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:42 am Post subject: Jerusalem artichokes, the looking-after thereof
Hello everyone, I'm growing Jerusalem artichokes for the first time this year, and other than marvelling at quite how tall they've got, I'm wondering if I should be doing anything to them yet. I know you're supposed to take the flowers off, but other than that, any tips? Can't wait to get eating the blighters now!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:45 am Post subject:
Start finding recipes! I've not found they need much looking after although they may need supporting from wind (no pun intended). They don't even need lifting for the winter, just left in place and lifted as you want to use them.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:46 am Post subject:
Hello KW - Dunno anything about looking after Jerusalem Artichokes (although I've got some growing in my garden ) and they are trying to out grow the beans at the moments height-wise but I just wanted to say 'ello Jo AKA AmethystDragon

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:46 am Post subject:
Leave. Leave. Leave some more. Remove flowers. Leave again. Harvest. Harvest. Fart. Leave a few tubers in the ground and cut out old growth. Leave. Leave. Leave. Leave. Leave again. Harvest.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:47 am Post subject:

Behemoth wrote:

Leave. Leave. Leave some more. Remove flowers. Leave again. Harvest. Harvest. Fart. Leave a few tubers in the ground and cut out old growth. Leave. Leave. Leave. Leave. Leave again. Harvest.

I don't even bother to remove the flowers.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:52 am Post subject:
Looking after them? ROFLMAO. You've got a crop for life. Napalm them, and they'll be back. They are the only crop still growing where I've had pigs for two years. They are indestructible. The cockroach of the vegetable world. And they make you fart. Brilliant.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 11:52 am Post subject:
But it helps you think that you're doing something.

Kitchenwitch

Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 25
Location: Devon

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 2:19 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the help, people, and Nick, I particularly liked your take on the artichoke world. Treacodactyl, any recipe suggestions? Behemoth, do you not find hard bits in the artichokes if you leave the flowers on? I want to leave them - I so do - because our garden is 100% vegetables, pretty much, and I quite liked the idea of flowers. Just call me girly...

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 2:22 pm Post subject:
To be honest I usually chop them off about 2ft from the ground when they flower. I haven't noticed any hard bits, Treac is the man to ask. I usually have plenty of flowers up at the plot when everything bolts!

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 2:23 pm Post subject:
Our first year growing them this year too, they're huge! Only only tried them for the first time last year, and loved them (hence growing them). I've added them to soup, but the best thing I did was rub them with salt and bake them. Yummmmmmm.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 3:09 pm Post subject:
I don't really have any recipe ideas other than soup and use them in similar ways to spuds. I can't say I've noticed any hard bits on the tubers after flowering but I might have a trial this year and see if I notice anything.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 07 3:34 pm Post subject:
If they start to wilt, water them heavily. Other than that, ignore them. They'll be fine. Removing flowers will help improve yield, but thats all you can do to help 'em along. Mulching helps if the weather might turn dry. All the advice you need is summarised here: https://www.downsizer.net/Projects/Growing_Food/Jerusalem_Artichokes%3A_A_guide_to_growing_and_cooking/

Kitchenwitch

Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 25
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 07 7:34 am Post subject:
Yay! Minimum effort! That's what I like. I've had 'em roasted and I've had 'em mashed, so soup is definitely on the list now.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 07 7:38 am Post subject:

I like them boiled with other root veg, then mashed with butter and just a little nutmeg and pepper.

It has been said (think it was Bob Flowerdew) that they make a wonderful windbreak. Plant them to shelter other bits of the plot from the wind, they absorb it all and release it later after you've eaten them...

Edit: I don't even weed mine properly any more. Just pull an armload of weeds out if it looks too weedy. They're such an easy crop to grow!

Kitchenwitch

Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 25
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 07 7:56 am Post subject:
Yep - quite agree - ours are enormous, and they seemed to get that way in approximately three days. From tiny little leaves on the soil to, er, giant triffid-like things which now completely disguise our hideous corrugated iron shed collection - another bonus. I'm liking that whole nutmeg concept, oh yes indeedy.

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