A suspicious-looking delivery

I must be the only person I know who gets excited when a bag of what looks almost exactly like dogshit arrives in the post. Fortunately this parcel represents not the beginning of a childish hate campaign, but the arrival of a central plank of my organic autumn/winter food supply, in the form of an order of Jerusalem artichoke tubers - a variety called Fuseau.

The instructions order me to plant the tubers NOW (not altogether practical when opened late on a Thursday night). The instructions read:

Dig a trench about 2 feet wide and one spade deep. Break up the bottom and refill using plenty of well rotted compost. Plant the tuber 6 inches deep and 12 inches apart. Mulch with compost every spring and topdress with fish blood and bone. Cut the stems down to 12 inches in mid autumn and dig the tubers as required, leaving some for next year's crop.

It all sounds eminently sensible, particularly as I haven't grown Jerusalem artichokes before. I am looking forward to some soup, provided I can stand the consequent, um, breeze. I'll plant them on Saturday morning, on the edge of the plot next to the globe artichokes which are, despite the name, no relation.

Comments

[Gabrielle Adams]

"Sunchokes" are fun to grow. They are tall and skinny plants, and look like gangly, mini sunflowers. I've been told they smell like chocolate (the flowers that is) but it didn't seem so to me. I was able to sneak them into some stew and my DH didn't notice. This is a big deal because the only veggies he eats are corn and potatoes. In stew they can pass for potatoes, similar in taste and texture. They are also supposedly good for diabetics as unlike most root vegetables, they don't cause an insulin spike. Have fun growing them.

[Sujatin]

Just a slight proviso - they are extremely delicious but do produce a lot of intestinal gas ;-)

[Jane Perrone]

Hi Sujatin
I know ... hence the veiled reference in my post to "breeze". Still, I hear they're delicious so I'll just have to isolate myself from friends and family before eating ...
jane

[Mark Parsons]

Not to added to Curries then :)

[caldini]

Hi Jane,
Just discovered your excellent blog. Wish I'd found it when I tried starting an organic allotment last year. Perhaps I can give it another go soon.

All the bst,
caldini

[charles]

artichokes - an excellent addition to a cheese fondue. good luck! the bag did need some explaining, though, thank you :)
BTW: http://drcharles.blogspot.com/2005/05/first-sunday-of-may-tomato-gardening.html
(hee hee).