[willowish]

when i took on my allotment last september there was a patch of jerusalem artichokes about 2 metres across, at the back. i dug a lot out in the autumn and then again in the spring, but now the patch has tripled in size and is threatening to take over the whole top part of the plot. does anyone know of a way of getting rid of them please?? 

[digalotty]

it is one of the things that can be harvested after Christmas when there is not a lot about 
apart from pulling up any roots that show and digging through the ground thoroughly i dont see a problem

[willowish]

the problem is that they are now taking up a space approx 6x4m and spreading like wildfire, the plot is only 6x18m, so i figure its only a matter of about 5 years before they have the whole plot. no amount of digging them up has helped.
and besides, there's only so many jerusalem artichokes one person can eat....if they want to keep their friends!! 

[mumofstig]

dig up every piece as soon as you see it coming through, eventually it will not grow any more

[Lardman]

Did you move the soil around? That's the mistake I made. I planted them when I moved here and I've spent every year since trying to get rid of them.  Hoe the tops off every time you see them. They do give up eventually - but not without a fight 

[Zippy]

I thought I would get rid of mine by digging up every last (known) piece and then sticking a big compost bin on top - one year later they are growing around the sides of the bin and are probably getting a good feed from the compost run off!

I will just leave them there and hoe off and compost the stems and leaves as I go - maybe even dig some up and keep the relatives away at Christmas!

The flowers are nice - good for bees.

[Charl89]

i had the same problem. the guy before me thought it would be such a fantastic idea to leave them in the ground as a suprise for me in March.
anyways i dug as much as i could out but obviosuly they just re seed themselves if you leave any in the ground or even a tiny piece. so what i have been doing is when they pop out of the ground i am gradually digging them up and in the last month or so have hardly any as i got ever last bit up. it does take time but you will get rid of them

good luck 

[Aunt Sally]

I would glyphosate them 

[Wombat18]

I've just about got rid of all mine.  I quite like them but the side effects were too horrible to contemplate.   

Still getting a few popping up here and there, but I just pull them up when I see them.  Keep going and eventually they will all die off.

[Salmo]

If they have no tops they cannot produce fresh tubers and will not grow next season.

I agree with Aunt Sally - glyphosate kills them. If they are not where you can spray them i.e. among or near crops, then just, dig them out, hoe them off or pull them up whenever they appear.

[willowish]

thanks all! i have been busy getting the foliage away onto the compost heap, it'll be a battle for now but worth it in the end. didn't know weedkiller would work...hhmmm interesting! not my usual approach but rules are there to be broken 
just have to find another spot for the compost bins now....
happy digging!!