Another seedling query

For the second year I'm trying Chinese Artichokes- there's a variety of things coming up but I don't know what the artichokes look like. Anyone grown them?

 

Hi Liz,I havn`t tried to grow them so can`t help.How many types of artichoke are there?I have my book in front of me and there`s Globe and Jerusalem but nothing on Chinese.It says Globe is possible to grow from seed but not advisable and should be grown from offsets(sounds very complicated)and it seems Jerusalem can be used as an alternative to potatoes?
I havn`t got a clue. :confused:

 

Some of the pictures on the google image search might help, Liz.

http://images.google.com/images?q=chinese%20artichokes&hl=en-GB&sourceid=gd&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2006-49,GGLD:en-GB&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

I haven't grown them either!

 

Nice one dendrobium.The leaves look pretty thick and leathery so maybe a good way of spotting them.

 

Hi Folks,
The pictures are good on the link. Chinese artichoke have the same appearance as Jerusalem artichoke. It is the tubers that are edible and like you said elainefiz they can be used as a potato substitute. I grew Jerusalem a few years aggo and the tubers had a very earthy taste, a bit acqured I would say. The upper plant can grow quite tall maybe as high as 4 to 5 feet. They are difficult to get rid of though once grown!! The tubers are very crispy and brittle and break off easily whilst digging them up and that causes them to spread.
I remember picking them up once and one felt extremely soft! Left courtesy of a neighbours cat!

 

:eek: John, I have grown Jerusalem artichokes too and also found them hard to get rid of, but good.
Thanks all, there is one picture which helped a lot, I did look but must have missed it, good description as well:
http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/chinese-artichokes.html
I am also growing Globe artichokes for the first time from some ancient seeds- got 100% germination first time, nice fat seedlings, but something ate all except one- tried some more and so far nothing :( but the survivor is doing well.

 

I find the globe is a beautiful looking pland with large spiky leaves which fan out. If I remember correctly the yield for the size of plant wasn't all that generous though. Must try it again soon.

 

Thanks to Dendy's help I've identified the artichokes- 5 spindly little plants out of 20 or so tubers. Something has been digging them up and eating them, and ones that managed to come up have been severely chewed.
I have now constructed a defence system consisting of:
Slug repellent pellets mixed with eggshell and dried garlic spread round plants.
I've interlaced the plants with a cats' cradle of copper wire.
Fleece 'hangar' pegged down over the lot.

I think it would have been simpler to eat the tubers rather than planting them!

 

Hi Liz,
Well if anything gets through that lot it deserves the prize!!!