Jerusalem artichokes - think I've failed (again)

floydster · Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:54 am

I have some Jerusalem artichokes which are about waist high and withering away. I this what they're supposed to do or have I failed?

Should I dig them up for a look?

Thanks,

Floydster

godfreyrob · Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:00 pm

Have a look - put a fork in diagonally downwards from the side and lever up the soil - hopefully there will be some nice knobbly tubers there as a reward!

red · Post: # 76433Post **red** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:08 pm

the tops should be going brown and withering now (although mine were about 8ft high..) - dig one and see. if its ok, cut the tops off the rest and leave about 1 ft, so you can see where to dig.

Shirley · Post: # 76436Post **Shirley** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:37 pm

Yeah... dig 'em up and see. Our tops were chomped by our goats and by the cows leaning over the fence.

Meredith · Post: # 76448Post **Meredith** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:10 pm

As has been said, this is what they do. They are a perennial plant that dies back to ground level in the Winter. You should find some tubers to eat under there. Make sure you don't dig out every one or they will not come back in the Springtime although it is unlikely you will get every one. Mine are spreading like wildfire.

floydster · Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:10 pm

Thanks folks. I'll have a dig at the weekend and report back. I'm not too hopeful as mine seem to be really small

Floydster

floydster · Post: # 77003Post **floydster** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:04 pm

Totally failed. Here's my entire crop from four plants

Remember the bug from the Matrix?

Floydster

godfreyrob · Wed Nov 21, 2007 4:28 pm

Well, thats real bad luck. Were they in a spot that was shady or waterlogged?

possum · Post: # 77138Post **possum** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:40 pm

if only waist high, then that doesn't sound good (in the UK mine where about 6 ft high), so definitely dig them up as they are not going to get bigger.
I have sown some here and they are already about 2ft high and it is just spring .
Jerusalem artichokes seem to tollerate most soils, heavy clay and they still thrive.

multiveg · Post: # 77543Post **multiveg** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:46 pm

Perhaps it wasn't windy enough

floydster · Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:10 pm

godfreyrob wrote:Well, thats real bad luck. Were they in a spot that was shady or waterlogged?

Totally waterlogged. The patch was OK last year, maybe this is what I should expect from now now on!

Floydster

red · Post: # 77969Post **red** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:13 pm

maybe you were just unlucky? try again...