Kitchen Garden Forum

I've got some Jerusalem artichokes arriving as was planning to stick them in at the end of the shed so they have a bit of support (I believe they get quite tall)...how close to the shed can I plant them.

This could be an immensely silly question - but how close to the shed can I plant them?

Thanks all

about 45cm (18") should be OK - I grew some last year against a tall east-facing fence at about that distance with excellent results - and yes they do grow tall mine reached over 3 mtrs (10ft) and required staking.

a-a

The only thing to remember is to dig most of them out and just replant the best. Over the years I've missed many and now my row is about 15 foot that started as 3 tubers. I don't mind as they are in the bed near the hedge row so not much else grows and as they get taller they poke through the hedge so it shows the flowers off more.

Fortunately I now also have a colleague who enjoys them so is kind of self contained now!

Westi

I recommend growing the variety Dwarf Sunray, which used to be widely available but I'm not sure who's offering it these days. I have a small clump. Its main advantages are that it's low growing (or at least relatively so: some complain that it's not dwarf. Compared to other varieties, though, it is), and that the tubers are nicely clustered together so there is less opportunity for some to be left behind to become a nuisance. I particularly like it because it flowers every year. Its height, by the way, is about 6 feet. That is dwarf, though, really.

A good tip to avoid other varieties blowing over because they get so tall, is to stop the main stems at about 3-4 feet. They then branch and become thicker, certainly more wind-proof.

Thanks people. Muchio appreciated