Chokes, Jerusalem and Chinese

[Jeannine Anne]

I am curious to know folks experience growing either Chinese or Jerusalem artichokes please.

Oh and I do know about the gas problem !!!

XX Jeannine

[livinonfaith]

I replied to the other perennial thread about the Jerusalem artichokes, but I honestly didn't remember a gas problem!

I was younger when we ate them, and they were usually on the side, so not too much at a time. So maybe that's why.

[Tracydr]

I'm interested in growing them, too. Although my husband has the worst gas problem of anyone in North America.
I have a sunny wilder spot to put them in but it's all clay. Do I need to dig it up and amend the soil or can they handle the hard clay?

[Jeannine Anne]

I can`t really answer that question but they are supposed to grow in poor soil. My ground in the UK was clay and they grew there although we did add manure and compost when we could but the ground was still heavy.

XX Jeannine

[Tracydr]

Thanks, Jeannine.
I may just put them in the ground and see how they do. My soil is so heavy I can hardly dig a hole but some things like mustard seem to thrive.

[ljp]

I had some at the old house that did really well. The eves didn't meet the roof and they got lots of water. South side of the house, they grew about 10 ft high and bloomed in late August/early September. At the new house I have them on the south side of the house, less water and no blooms. I gave some to a friend. He grows them in small buckets; waters heavily and gets flowers.

[strax]

they will laugh at your clay and grow, grow, grow! they dont seem to care where you plant them.

[owiebrain]

Originally Posted by strax

they will laugh at your clay and grow, grow, grow! they dont seem to care where you plant them.

That's been my experience. I first grew them in rocky, hard clay and they didn't care a bit. Now, I'm growing them in nicer dirt but it was very compacted and lacking organic matter. They've done very well.

I've not yet tasted these cooked (this particular variety is said to remain crisp when cooked, like a water chestnut) but I have sampled them raw. So incredibly good! I'll have enough this fall to transplant a bunch to a permanent bed plus harvest some for eating. I'm going to dice & add to salads as well as trying adding them to stir fries and that sort of thing.

Deer reportedly love them so take that into account when you decide on their growing spot. I stuck our starts up near the dog pen since we have a lot of deer here (unfortunately, none left in my freezer at the moment ).

Chinese artichokes? Never heard of those. Off I go to google!

[gwoods]

Chinese Artichokes have much smaller cylindrical ridged tubers.....I've grown them in a not-so-good place, and by the time the plants come up in the spring, there's not much tuber left underneath. FWIW, Jerusalem Artichokes are good brined.