Jerusalem artichokes

[Wowbagger]

I've been given some plants, in pots, by my neighbour Kamil. It seems they require quite a bit of space. I shall put them in the ground tomorrow.

Has anyone else had much success with these/ I remember my dad growing some about half a century ago. I think he wasn't that impressed and didn't repeat the exercise.

Kamil also offered me some horseradish plants. I don't like horseradish so I left it to Jan to choose whether we had any. She decided she couldn't be bothered to mess around with the roots.

[The Family Cyclist]

I found them amongst the easiest things to grow but they are a perennial so unless you dig them all up youll get more next year and as you get a fair amount from each plant you dont need a huge amount. Related to sun flower so yes need lots of space as grow big. I mean 2 metres plus.

Don't let that put you off though as some good recipes out there. I've got a I think riverford veg box recipe somewhere for a gratin which my wife described as one of the best things I'd cooked

Oh and the farting. I've had mixed reactions. First time I had the soup which was at RHS Hyde Hall really felt it later but having eaten a lot over winter of my own soup/gratin/roasted didn't seem to have much of a an reaction

[Hot Flatus]

They will take over your garden if you let them. Yes, really easy to grow and you don't even need decent soil and light for them. We put some at the far end of our garden where nothing grows because of a huge yew tree, and they grew and grew and grew.

[citoyen]

^ What they said. Almost too easy to grow…

[Wowbagger]

I had a look around the internet for stuff about Jerusalem artichokes and everything was based on the assumption that you plant tubers. But Kamil gave me 5 flower pots containing 6 plants and there was clearly no tuber in sight. I've just checked with him and he collected seeds from his plants last year and has grown 80 or 90 plants from seed. I planted them out this evening.

I'm quite happy to have something that will grow and grow and is easy. I'm not an overenthusiastic gardener and anything to keep life simple is OK with me.

[T42]

In French they're called topinambours, which is a very pleasing word.

[citoyen]

In French they're called topinambours, which is a very pleasing word.

I thought they were girasoles... but of course that's sunflowers. It's where the "Jerusalem" comes from though innit - typical anglicised mangling of dirty forrin words.

[T42]

Girasole is Italian.  In French they're tournesols, like Tintin's professor chum.

[citoyen]

Girasole is Italian.  In French they're tournesols, like Tintin's professor chum.

Ah yes, of course!

[Ian H]

Invasive.  Tubers knobbly and a bugger to prepare. Related to sunflowers.  It's so long ago that I grew them, I can't remember the taste - don't recall it as unpleasant though.  E has just planted some in the allotment (she won't have them in the garden), so I shall renew my acquaintance at some point.

[rafletcher]

Depending on the variety some of the tubers are ok-ish to prep. Inoffensive flavour, we made soups  and gratins with them (an artichoke dauphinois). They do, of course, make you fart like a brass band. 

[Ian H]

Depending on the variety some of the tubers are ok-ish to prep. Inoffensive flavour, we made soups  and gratins with them (an artichoke dauphinois). They do, of course, make you fart like a brass band.

Oh yes.  I'd forgotten about the farting.

[Vernon]

But they taste <toot> so <parp> nice <quack>!!

[T42]

What my kids used to call Daddy's Duck.

[Wowbagger]

Depending on the variety some of the tubers are ok-ish to prep. Inoffensive flavour, we made soups  and gratins with them (an artichoke dauphinois). They do, of course, make you fart like a brass band.

That should appeal to my wife’s Stalybridge heritage.