[barley]

my nephew kindly gave me a root of artichoke to try this year ...... never tried it before 

any advice on rearing it appreciated and also how is it harvested and cooked

I think I am supposed to eat the root ?

[Yorkie]

Is this the knobbly tuber?

That will be a Jerusalem (as opposed to Globe) Artichoke:
http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/jerusalem-artichoke/index.php

Are you aware of the, er, side effects of eating it?   

[barley]

yes yorkie it was the knobberly tuber type

so pray tell , are the eating effects pleasurable  or other 

[yaxley]

Well my dog ate one of those tubers the side affects were not good but the company thats sells the poo bags made a unexpected profit ..

[barley]

Well my dog ate one of those tubers the side affects were not good but the company thats sells the poo bags made a unexpected profit ..

LOL .........  I may just grow it for it's ornimental foliage then 

[al78]

yes yorkie it was the knobberly tuber type

so pray tell , are the eating effects pleasurable  or other 

They contain an indigestible sugar which, when it gets into the initestinal region, the bacteria that reside there have a feast and produce lots of gaseous byproducts which are released from ... well you get the picture. 

[mumofstig]

They're called fartichokes for a good reason 

[Beetroot queen]

Now I know why I don't grow these, hubby needs no excuses to let the wind blow free 

Men are so gross do they have no shame