[thestens]

I have grown JAs for lots of years in all the gardens I have had in the North East  - Redcar ( coastal) Stockton ( 20 miles inland) and now in the North Pennines. I always get a good crop and enjoy the tubers roasted , mashed, or in soup.
The question is I read mention of them flowering I guess I may have seen this in France but does anyone ever get flowers in UK ? If so what is the furthest north for flowering?

[Mum2mj]

I get flowers but I'm much further south 

[ghost61]

They flower here.

[thestens]

2 replies from what I class as 'deep south'. Anyone up north get flowers?

[Christine]

Nope not in Northumberland ...

[ARPoet]

Mine often look like the might flower, but by now i have usually trimmed the top 4 foot off to stop em rocking in the wind. Pardon the pun!

[mrsbean]

People on our site get lovely purple flowers if left. Next plot lady gave me small plant late spring, i have 5 globes on it still growing. Our site is level with Menai Straits, so gets wind and salty air.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I've got a huge mass of them. They've taken over a corner of  plot of land used as an orchard. In the 11 years I've had em, I've never ever seen any flowers. Come to think of it, after the first flatulent experience of them all those years ago, I've never eaten any either.

My own question is how do you get rid of them?

[Lardman]

I get late season (within the last week), yellow sun flower type flowers on mine.

My own question is how do you get rid of them?

If you ever find out let me know - I've been trying for years and there will still be a health crop in the raspberry bed  this year

[thestens]

I think the only way to get rid is to riddle the soil in the bed when dug up - that gets rid of even the smallest. Purple flowers I think that must be a globe artichoke.

[mrsbean]

SORRY. yes got my chokes muddled up, or need new glasses...

[caroline800]

mine are flowering at the moment - small yellow sunflowers    leaves look like they've had enough but flowers still going strong? 

[Mr Dog]

I've got a huge mass of them. They've taken over a corner of  plot of land used as an orchard. In the 11 years I've had em, I've never ever seen any flowers. Come to think of it, after the first flatulent experience of them all those years ago, I've never eaten any either.

My own question is how do you get rid of them?

I grow them in pots for that very reason which gives me enough to roast with a few meals and to make a couple of pans of carrot and artichoke soup. Any more and I think Mrs Dog would be in danger of exploding if she went near any naked flames 

I've also grown Maximilian sunflowers (their tubers can be eaten too) which threatened to take over my whole garden. I got rid of them over a couple of years by pulling up the newly growing plants as soon as I recognised them as being a sunflower. I originally planted 3 tubers and in the following year pulled up the best part of 100 plants. As with the artichokes, they're now in a few pots to provide some late colour both in the house garden and at the plot. Not tried eating them though.

[brokenglass]

I dug them up then placed slabs and then a shed on top of where they had been.     

[Comfreypatch]

I used to grow them but found them taking over so dug them up. I had flowers every year in Warwickshire.