Chinese Artichoke Tuber (Crosnes)

We thoroughly recommend this vegetable that is easily grown but hard to find.You can eat the tubers either raw in salads, lightly fried in butter or stir-fried in Chinese-style dishes, where they will make an excellent substitute to water chestnuts. If you wish you can also steam them. The small tubers have a delicious, nutty flavour and a satisfying crunch.

Also known as Crosnes, these are popular in France, yet over here they are usually only ever seen in the most expensive delicatessens and restaurants.

Although related to the mint family, these have a similar growing habit to Jerusalem Artichokes, in that once you have established a bed of these you will be able harvest annually and they will self-perpetuate. An average plant will reach a height of 18" (45 cm) and produce 20-30 tubers.

• Plant out from mid-October to April. Chinese Artichokes like an open, sunny site, with a rich, light soil and a steady supply of moistutre.
• Plant tubers points up, 1-3" (4-8 cm) deep, 6-12" (15-30 cm) apart in rows 18" (45 cm) apart.
• Alternatively, leave the tubers to sprout in trays or pots of damp compost and plant out when leaves are 3-4" (8-10 cm) tall
• Earth up the stems when plants reach a height of 12" (30 cm).
• In midsummer, remove flowers to concentrate plants' energy into developing tubers.
• Harvest as required from late October onwards. Cut stems back to 3" (8 cm) above soil, and lay trimmings over the plants to keep the soil warm for ease of lifting in frosty weather. Chinese Artichokes are sweeter after a frost, when starches have been converted to sugars.
• Slugs and snails will attack stems and tubers: use BioFriend Slug-Banish to keep them at bay. Root aphids can be a nuisance. Spray with BioFriend Plant Defence.
• Always leave one or two tubers in the ground to grow back in the same area next year.
• Chinese Artichokes can also be grown in containers, one tuber per pot, in a mixture of garden soil and good-quality compost.

Top Tips

• Lightly mulch your bed annually in early March to encourage moisture retention and suppress weeds.
• Ensure plants are watered well in dry spells.