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Jeruselum artichoke-can it grow in a pot?
Loana
Posts: 427
Hi lovely gardeners, i have heard a lot about how beautiful this plant is and that bees love it too. Can it be grown in a pot ? If so, what size pot and what sort of compost? Thank you ????
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If it's happy it grows as tall as most sunflowers and multiplies quickly via its tubers into a large clump. I think it would need a substantial tub and a method of staking to prevent it being blown over.
I would use a loam based compost with added grit and organic matter.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Just a thought, globe artichoke flowers are much loved by bees and I think they're more attractive than the unrelated Jerusalem artichokes and are more suitable for growing in containers, albeit still very large ones as they grow into magnificent plants. I would use a very gritty compost, loam based, to ensure good drainage. Put them in a sunny spot and feed every couple of weeks in the growing season - they're hungry plants.
Hope that helps.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Oh excellent, thank you dove from above, i don't know the difference between them,so i will do some research, it is only for the bees and architecture that inthought of growing it ?
I'd go for the Globe artichoke - beautiful flowers, architectural plants - and of course you can pick some before the flowers open and eat them with lashings of Hollandaise!
Whereas Jerusalem artichokes are more like lesser imitations of of sunflowers - fine if you have loads of space/need a sturdy screen and enjoy Palestine Soup and roast artichokes and don't mind the 'after effects'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-eqRiMdD4
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In my experience, Jerusalem artichokes are shy flowerers (as Dove mentions) so would also go for Globe artichokes or one of the many types of sunflowers.
PS, there are several types of perennial sunflower such as Helianthus maximiliani and 'Lemon queen'. You could also look at Berkheya purpurea which is a thistle which produces light purple sunflower-like flowers on tall stems. Those are great for bees and other insects.
Last edited: 19 February 2017 11:01:46