Replace Plants That Struggle To Grow

Some plants grow well in one place. Then struggle to grow in what was thought to be ideal conditions in another place.

As an example this post is about a simple Jerusalem Artichoke. The original bulb purchased about fifteen years ago and literally plonked into the clay soil out the back where the dogs liked lying. Each year the bulb was forgotten about. Left, just sitting there  underground. The next year the thickness of the plant   was wider. The length of ground longer.

But this plant, a bulb that sported many small seedless small flowers, had a special memory somewhere in the past. I believe it was great granddads garden.  His garden had many tall plants for a small child to enjoy standing and playing amongst. 

Also once the bulb is harvested there is a terrific food source... just ready to roast. Some sixty years later this is an example of a return adventure story for you to pass on.

Now, one year ago we moved into this house at number 14, from number nineteen - just around the corner.  Where number 19 held thirty years of finding a memory connecting dots and delving in deeply to an unrecognized past, number 14 presented, shall we say, with many challenges. 

One was finding the concreate that covered the back and front yard, or part of the house, below the vines.  As this was being won over the side drive looked bare in one area. Unpacking a bucket of saved rhizomes it took a while to work out where to plant them. While, nearly a year later there was a "Where to put these now question to be answered.

In this post we deal with the wow there is a space here to plant something ... What will that be question.

Where at the beginning of the first spring season in number 14 Jerusalem Artichokes were planted down the drive way with high anticipation the overall effect was a few struggling for water plants.

Over the growing season it became  highlighted that these plants did not like being under a very tall shady set of trees in a sun blocked area. Except to be scorched in the later afternoon by direct sun in high temperatures. Trapped in an unwater able area. Basically water as much as you like but all the water flowed down the drive way, and into the drains.

The result is the Jerusalem Artichoke root bases is about to be dug up and cleaned off. Then replanted into large pots, with soil and manure. Something they will love and placed into an area where the sun shines, the water is trapped and these dogs will love hiding among them again.

At number 19 it took nearly five years before the annual harvest was way to big for our needs. Thus these were dropped off at a delicatessen,  The locals there took their share.  The vegetable market sold off the rest. Which It must be admitted I found funny as this is where the original plant was purchased. 

The adventure with gardening is what goes around has a large probability of it coming back to you somehow.