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Perennial Chinese Artichoke tubers
White knobbly chinese artichoke tubers washed and prepared for cooking
Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis) - pack of 10 seed tubers
Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis) - pack of 10 seed tubers

Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis) – pack of 5 seed tubers

£5.99

SUPPLIED AS 5 TUBERS
A hardy perennial producing delicious crunchy tubers for harvesting over the winter months, ideal for stir fries or pickling.

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Description

Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis) is an easy to grow hardy edible perennial that produces a prolific amount of delicious crunchy tubers which can be harvested over the winter months. The tubers are ideal in winter salads, can be used for pickling and are fantastic and delicious in stir fries as they absorb flavours. They have a top growth that reaches 50-60 cm tall. This pack of 5 tubers will give you an excellent start and you can save your own tubers for re-planting once established. Tubers are lifted and packed upon order. Also known as Crosnes or Betony.

How to grow

Being hardy things, your tubers can be planted out directly between October and April. Alternatively you can also keep your tubers in trays or pots of slightly damp compost and leave them to sprout with the light and warmth of spring. You will see leaves appearing and when the plants are about 3 or 4 inches tall you can plant them out. Slugs do like the plants when small, so getting them going in pots first ensures that they can survive pests until they have got established. Plant about 25cm apart and a 7.5cm deep in rows of 45cm in a sunny position, well drained soil.

In the Autumn the top growth dies back and you can start harvesting from around October and over the winter months. Lift tubers to eat as and when you need them as they store very well in the ground. Leave a few tubers in the ground to re-sprout and naturally spread in the spring. You can also lift tubers in January and store them until the spring to re-plant in a new area.   We have found that you get bigger tubers if you rotate them around, but you will still get a decent crop if you leave some in your original site as long as they are not too overcrowded.

Cooking and eating

The flavour of the tubers is delicate and delicious. In Japan, the Chinese artichoke is used primarily for pickling. Its tuber is a part of Osechi cooked for celebrating Japanese New Year. Dyed red by leaves of red shiso after being pickled, it is called Chorogi. In French cuisine, its cooked tuber is often served alongside Japanese style dishes. Crunchy and nutty in taste they can be used as a replacement for water chestnuts or blanched and then sautéed in herbs and butter. Lightly steam, then added to a stir fry is also delicious. We have put some in our home made Korean Kimchi this year too.

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“Thanks for everything, the info sheet was great. I planted the cuttings the day they arrived and have just multi sown the 9 star in seed trays. All very exciting, we’re now planning our perennial area.”

“You are right, perennial kale is fantastic! Thanks so much for the cuttings. I am a convert to having a corner of perpetual kale in the patch!”

“As the evening sun back lit the plants at Incredible Vegetables, I felt I was standing in one of the most important gardens of our time. Wildflowers working alongside an abundance of edimentals and perennial vegetables. A ‘food glade’ to rival the aesthetic of our greatest plant designers.”

– Jon Davies, garden designer, London Glades –

“I love your website and the work you’re doing. What you’re doing is exiting, useful, and one day will help to replace and enhance what human kind has damaged.With that our natural friends will return and we’ll be better for it.”

“Mandy, thank you. I am delighted with this plant – it is so strong and healthy and exceptionally well packaged – all done with loving care obviously. I shall look forward to having more plants from you.”

“Plants all arrived lovely and are growing well. I just wanted to say i was very impressed with the quality of the cuttings.. and its been a pleasure dealing with you. And I look forward to any purchases in the future.”

“The kale cuttings you sent survived the winter and are thriving. Thank you Mandy Barber you are the super hero of edibles, loving your work!!”

“I bought some Skirret seed’s off you last year. Well they grew and yesterday some got cooked and this message is just to say, they were delicious. Looking forward to a lot more next year. Thank you.”

“The Taunton Dean cuttings arrived a short while ago and never have I seen healthier looking cuttings! They are now firmly ensconced in some nice compost and are having a good drink. I even loved the packaging, which will be composted.”

“Hi I just wanted to let you know that I sowed half of my Caucasian spinach seeds and every single one grew, absolutely amazed, thanks for the seeds and keep up the good work.”

“Just to let you know that the lovely healthy looking plants arrived. Your plants are simply outstanding, every single tuber and plant are growing amazingly.”

“The plants arrived safely, I did not expect such magnificent specimens! I didn’t think I would be successful at stratification etc but I now have a whole bunch of Hablitzia seedlings sprouting after following your excellent advice.”

“Just to say, the Daubentons Kale is in the ground and looking well – thanks to the lovely damp compost encasing its roots…you do a good job at your end, I can tell by the way you package. Will be back for more of your wonderful perennials.”

“Thank you so much for all the vegetables, they really are incredible. I’m sure I’ve never before seen a healthier rootball than the one that arrived with our happy looking daubentons kale, and seeds and tubers are thriving thanks to all the useful information provided.”

“Thank you so much for sending such wonderful, healthy and very large plants. They are beautiful !! You packaged them so well and they arrived so quickly – I couldn’t get to the post office till the following day but they were absolutely fine. They’re now potted up and sitting in my ‘cold’ greenhouse while they adjust.”

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