jerusalem Artichokes

[Nat]

Just bought some only 5, how many would you expect to harvest from one tuber ???

Nat

[dinah gale]

Yeah, JA's are invasive! I even had them coming up through the tarmac on the drive at my last place.

I have inherited a small patch of them on my newish allotment. I never found a way of cooking them that I enjoyed but on my very exposed allotment I found that putting my chair in their shade gave me the only protection from the sun during my sit-down periods last summer so I have dug them all up and will do some judicious planting with an eye to a bit of shade again this year. I'm optimistic about the sunshine! I'm hoping if I can dig the whole plants in future I can keep them within bounds.

Found a Nigel Slater recipe for Jerusalem artichoke and mushroom hotpot in the Feb. edition of the Sainsbury magazine, too. I tried it yesterday and am converted! It tasted really good so I needn't waste my free JA's!

[dinah gale]

Just bought some only 5, how many would you expect to harvest from one tuber ???

Nat

Lots, Nat. You probably have got enough with 5 to start with. Remember they will spread so the harvest will increase in successive seasons.

[gealbhan]

Yeah, JA's are invasive! I even had them coming up through the tarmac on the drive at my last place.

I have inherited a small patch of them on my newish allotment. I never found a way of cooking them that I enjoyed but on my very exposed allotment I found that putting my chair in their shade gave me the only protection from the sun during my sit-down periods last summer so I have dug them all up and will do some judicious planting with an eye to a bit of shade again this year. I'm optimistic about the sunshine! I'm hoping if I can dig the whole plants in future I can keep them within bounds.

Found a Nigel Slater recipe for Jerusalem artichoke and mushroom hotpot in the Feb. edition of the Sainsbury magazine, too. I tried it yesterday and am converted! It tasted really good so I needn't waste my free JA's!

wouldnae mind having that recipe!

[Lesley Jay]

Yes Dinah it would be good! Can you post it in Season To Taste please??

[dinah gale]

artichoke and mushroom hotpot

Yes Dinah it would be good! Can you post it in Season To Taste please??

Sure, Lesley Jay. I'll do that now.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Can you help me out, venerable grapes - I'm planning to stick my 5 JA's in the ground at the Hill this weekend - is this wise, or should I wait a few weeks?

[pigletwillie]

If you ground isnt tooooo wet get them in, they do not store terribly well so if you have them, plant them.

[Berr]

Carleen,
I've grown JAs at various addresses in the past. Have never found them seriously invasive- I wouldn't worry about that too much. Last year I obtained a few bags from the local farmers' market, and grew some in the ground AND SOME IN BINS! The ones in the bins did best but that was maybe because they were in loam deriving from turves I'd stacked a year earlier. I filled the bottom third with biggish stones, blinded this with soil, then put in about 6" of well-rotted horse dung, then some more loam and planted the tubers on top. They were about haf-way up the bin. No danger of that toppling. Stick in four 5 or 6-foot canes in case they need support later. Keep well watered.

You can't go wrong with these guys.

Good luck!

Berr.

[Snadger]

If you ground isnt tooooo wet get them in, they do not store terribly well so if you have them, plant them.

Agree with piglet.....mine were starting to go soft in storage and even had the beginnings of a white mould forming on them! Washed it off and planted them straight away....truth will tell?????

[Earthbabe]

I've just finished digging mine out!!!

One and a half B&Q bucketsful, mercifully pretty much all spoken for. Phew!

[Jan]

Hi all,
I have loads of Jerusalem Artichokes going spare if you want them - Fuseau, the long smooth ones. I'm happy to send as many as you want - they grow anywhere, just dig an 'ole and bung 'em in, easy! I didn't bother to water mine last year re; the hosepipe ban and I got about 3lb off each plant

[carleen]

Hi all,

Mine have been in now for about three weeks. I've got 2 types planted - one red and knobbly and the other pale and smooth . I got them from my organic supplier, but I have no idea what the varieties are. No sign of them yet, but when they do appear, do I treat them like spuds and shore them up?

Many thanks for all the replies so far.

[Birdie Wife]

Hi Jan,
I'd be interested in getting half a dozen, if you can spare them. Will pm you!

[SueA]

Hi Carleen, no sign of mine yet either. It's my first attempt at growing J.A.'s as well, I have 'Fuseau' & an unknown variety in pots. I think you are supposed to earth them up a little bit when the stems have grown but only about the first 6ins I think (don't take my word for it though, not an expert!)