"Cat(h)" wrote in message
...
On May 31, 1:54 pm, "mark" wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message

...
On May 31, 12:34 pm, "mark" wrote:





wrote in message

...

alan.holmes wrote:

Some time ago I was sent some artichokes, and I planted them, but
nothing
happened until about two days ago, when something strange looking
started
to
appear where I have put them, so is it the artichokes, or some
strange
thing
planted buy the tree rats.

I'll just have to wait and see!

What kind of 'strange'? They should put up really tall (about 7-8')
stalks
with a very small sunflower type flower at the top.

That's if they ae Jerusalem artichokes. Mine are about 9" tall.

mark

I planted some last week end, my first time attempting to grow them.
I got them about 30 cm tall from my local garden centre, and thought:
"why not" (I love jerusalem artichokes). There was about 3-4 of them
in one pot measuring about 15cm across. I figured I should separate
them and plant them individually, but did not dare disturb the very
entangled rootball/rhyzome, so planted the entire contents of the pot
in a single hole.
Should I have separated them, and if so, is it still time for me to do
so? They look quite healthy and are growing happily in my cabbage
patch, or so it seems. However, will their all being in one tight
location impact on tuber production?



Mine grow in a clump about 6ft diameter. Theory being that they offer
mutual support in the wind. The central ones grow tallest and I have
measured one at 12ft 3in. It doesn't seem to impact production but I've
not
done a comparison with rows. I have more than enough and production
outstrips demand. I think artichoke soup is the best there is but one can
only consume so much and volunteers for peeling the crop have diminishing
enthusiasm as the season rolls by.

Thanks for that. I planted mine about 30 cm from my garden fence,
understanding that they need a little support, so glad to hear that
they should be OK in a clump.
I don't peel j.a., I use a scourer to rub most of the skin off them
under a cold tap. It works for me, and it's less fiddly.


My runner beans are growing over a previous artichoke patch and although I
thought I'd removed all the tubers those artichokes are coming up by the
dozen.
Seems a shame to compost them but there seem to be few takers. How much
would a plant cost in a garden centre if they sold them?

I paid €5 for my pot (a bit of a rip off, but I LOVE j.a., so thought,
what the hell...). I would also assume that you can plant a handful
you buy from the greengrocer's? What sort of a crop can I expect from
my small clump?




I suppose you'd get about 6 tubers for each one planted, a rough guess. If
you haven't got that many, I'd be inclined to forego eating this years crop
and replant them, that way you'll become self sufficient from one year to
the next.

mark