Hot composting with chicken bedding and garden waste

[aart]

I wouldn't put it in the run, at least before they're a couple of feet tall. But you could keep them right outside the run, they'll grow to about 6-7 feet easily. We used 90 liter (~25 gallon) cement mixing tubs for ours.

Drainage holes?

 

[vehve]

Yeah, that would have been good to mention too. I put about 20 10mm (~½") holes in the bottom.

Even a better idea would be to drill them on the sides, about an inch from the bottom. That way the tub would sort of become self watering. Would probably help if you're in a hot climate.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Do the roots not need deep earth? The cement mixing pans I've seen around here are only about 8" deep.

 

[vehve]

These were round and pretty high. I'd plant them in maybe 15 inches of soil, with them buried about half way in it.

 

[HennyPennyCO]

You've all piqued my curiosity.
Last fall a "kind" someone gave me some unknown somethings that I just plonked into a temporary spot in a hugelkultur mound in a raised bed at our brand-new community garden.
This year: they grew like crazy, had sunflower-like flowers, grew to 5+ feet tall, and now that it's fall, I see that they have a VERY healthy collection of rhizomes. So I've researched sunchokes, and am now so happy I put the donated rhizomes in a restrictive place in the mound (in between some heavy logs).

This link says it all: http://commonsensehome.com/before-you-plant-sunchokes/#comment-68923

I'm an adventurous cook; I'll try cooking the things.
Do the chickens eat only the leaves? I'm OK with putting some rhizomes in a pot and growing them next year for the amusement of my girls.

 

[hennible]

They will over winter in the ground here ( zone 3 )

 

[vehve]

They should overwinter in cold climates too. Chop some shallots or onions, fry on low heat. Add the chokes, a couple potatoes, some white wine and chicken stock. When it's cooked, throw it through a food processor, and serve with roasted prosciutto. Oh, and remember to peel the taters and chokes before you use them in the soup, but that should be pretty obvious.

*Edit* Cream! I forgot the cream. You'll need to add some of that before the food processor, and then bring the soup to a boil once it's puréed.

 

[lazy gardener]

From what I've read, you can't kill the things, and they have a great "glycemic index". I've just never dared to stick any in the ground here.

 

[hennible]

They give some people gas though... Some indigestible carb or something....inulin it has inulin in it a pre biotic I think, and that's what gives you gas... Well some people

Edited for spelling and to add inulin is a fibre...

 

[vehve]

Well, if you have a bath tub, that's a free bubble bath then. I haven't noticed any gas though.