Artichokes
by Diane - October 23rd, 2013.Filed under: Crocus.
Also sometimes known as fartichokes as they .. well you can guess. Taste ok though and make great chips. Easy to grow. Just plant them and forget about them until you want to harvest them. You’re likely to not get them all out so plant them somewhere you don’t mind them growing forever. They do sometimes produce flowers – mine have this year. Tiny versions of sunflowers at the end of hugely long stems.
Sometimes recommended as a wind break (ironic) but can blow over themselves once they get too tall. A good perennial veg plant to have as you can save a few tubers each year and replant them – but most of the time you won’t have to. Leave them in the ground until they’re wanted. In wet years they don’t do as well – 2012 wasn’t a good year for them because of the excessive rain we had.
Jerusalem artichoke Fuseau (Jerusalem artichoke bulbs) £2.99
Position: full sun Soil: any moderately, fertile soil Rate of growth: average Other features: great alternative to potatoes Hardiness: fully hardy A much under-rated vegetable which has edible tubers that have a potato-like texture and are delicious. Originally from North America, Jerusalem artichoke is a member of the daisy family and is closely related to the sunflower. Plant the tubers as soon as possible 30-40cm apart in soil that has had added organic matter. The plants make an excellent screen or windbreak and the tubers are ready to harvest from between October and early spring. Garden care: Dig added organic matter into the soil and plant the tubers 30-40cm apart. Earth-up the base of the stems when the plants are about 30cm high. Water well when the weather is dry. During the summer months remove any flower buds as they form and feed occassionally with liquid fertiliser.