Growing Artichoke

Toastie 4/25/2010, 10:46 pm

Hi,
I am down on the bayou in zone 9 and I would love to try growing some artichokes.
Has anyone ever tried this or can give me some tips. I have heard they are pretty big and take 2 years to grow

Dietryin 4/26/2010, 2:06 pm

I'm in Zone 5a and would love more information also.
I went to the store this weekend to buy seeds. But after reading the how-to on the back of the seed pack, I didn't buy them. I thought...2 years before I can eat this veggie? Do I want to take up my valuable 2 sq ft squares for 2 years?

AFLfan 4/26/2010, 3:58 pm

I have grown artichokes for a few years now. First, you can get some chokes in the first year, at least we did. But I would NOT put one in a SFG. These plants get huge (4 feet tall, maybe 5-6 feet wide). I would put it oudtside of a box for sure.

The plant grown huge, and then you cut it down to nothing after the harvest, leaving the roots in the ground. You won't see anything for several months, then in late Fall/early Winter, you will start to see the leaves growing up again.

You will get one large artichoke per stalk, then a couple of smaller ones. I have never grown anything as large at the artichokes that you see in the stores, but they sure taste good!

Toastie 4/26/2010, 9:36 pm

Cool
What I was thinking of doing is getting one of those big plastic pots to use for a plant and grow one in there
Wonder if it is too late to start some seedlings

boffer 4/26/2010, 9:45 pm

We grow artichokes just for the flowers-they are absolutely beautiful, and the bumble bees make it their very own playground. Sometimes they'll be a dozen at a time laying on their backs wiggling around!

We discovered the flowers by accident our first year because they never got as big as store bought. So we let them flower.

Triciasgarden 6/8/2010, 8:07 pm

I got two packages of artichoke seeds from Loews in March and started them indoors. The package says they take 180-360 days. It also says plant them three feet apart. They sure wont be going into my square foot garden. Oops. I live in Northern Utah so it will be interesting to see if they over winter. My husband got me a used greenhouse off of KSL last year so if we can somehow find time to put it together, maybe I can plant them in it. I just did a search for artichoke flowers and I can see why you grow them for the flowers. They sure are beautiful. How long do the flowers last?

GWN 3/21/2012, 6:18 pm

My big challenge this year was to overwinter artichokes in zone 5.
Every where official I looked said it could not be done, but I found several other places that people described it.
So I cut the plants down in the fall, covered with cardboard, then straw, then a metal bent over them and a tarp on top of that.

A few weeks ago, I decided to cut any of my potential losses (I have spent the whole winter fretting over these plants), and dug them up to see if they had survived.

I put them all in mels mix in a nice semi warm greenhouse in big pots.

Growing Artichoke Dsc_0223

two of them clearly seem to have survived, the others I am not so sure. The top part of the plants are mushy, but the roots seemed fine. I am guessing that they froze, but I have them in pots waiting to see if they are really dead.
Anyone care to help me out here?? SHould I pronounce them dead?? So I can get on with life Sad

I JUST NEED CLOSURE Smile

**llama momma** 3/21/2012, 6:50 pm

Do you have an agriculture college nearby? Ask a master gardener? A garden nursery? Maybe you will just have to google, Growing Artichokes.

GWN 3/21/2012, 9:52 pm

I have googled it many times, in fact, that is how I found this site.
I DID go back to goggling today, and did not find much.
That is the trouble when you do something different, hard to find much info on it.
I think I will just have to wait to see if something happens.
When I was in Oregon, I dug up several older plants and divided them and potted them and had them all in my hoop house for the winter, and I had about 20 little artichoke plants from root division.

**llama momma** 3/22/2012, 5:25 am

http://www.sweetheartartichokes.com/care02.htm

You didn't say what variety you are growing but this site had pictures of good and bad artichokes and what to do about it plus at the bottom of the article gave an email address for personal questions. Good luck!

**sanderson** 3/3/2020, 2:55 am

**sanderson** 3/3/2020, 2:56 am

**sanderson** 3/3/2020, 2:56 am

**sanderson** 3/3/2020, 3:03 am

The artichoke seedling I planted in October survived the light freeze and has really grow, at least 6' in diameter. My concern is that the lower leaves lie down and then die, one by one. Is this normal? The pot is filled with Mel's Mix.

countrynaturals 3/3/2020, 10:18 am

sanderson wrote:The artichoke seedling I planted in October survived the light freeze and has really grow, at least 6' in diameter. My concern is that the lower leaves lie down and then die, one by one. Is this normal? The pot is filled with Mel's Mix.

Lookin' good, S. My 4 aren't nearly as big. I have the same problem of them loosing almost as many leaves as they grow, and I don't know why, either. They survive for me, but they never thrive, and the bugs love them. Growing Artichoke 950477

countrynaturals 3/3/2020, 10:33 am

Hmm, I just realized the deer never bothered my first batch (that died from neglect when we were evacuated in the 2018 Carr fire). I might just plant some more seeds and use them as ornamentals this year in the pool area. geek

countrynaturals 3/3/2020, 10:39 am

sanderson wrote:The artichoke seedling I planted in October survived the light freeze and has really grow, at least 6' in diameter. My concern is that the lower leaves lie down and then die, one by one. Is this normal? The pot is filled with Mel's Mix.

There really isn't much out there on growing artichokes, but here's this from SFGate:

SFGate wrote:Reduce watering if an artichoke plant develops yellow leaves, and transplant it to a sunnier site in fall after it goes dormant. Keep the bed cleared of weeds and provide a 1-inch layer of manure compost to provide a steady stream of nutrients during the growing season.

I also just read that they are heavy-feeders. I think I'll fertilize/compost around mine, today.

countrynaturals 3/3/2020, 10:48 am

sanderson wrote:Bump

Now you've done it, S. You just had to revive this old thread, and now I have to order yet more seeds from Baker Creek. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! Evil or Very Mad

https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/artichoke-cardoon/colorado-red-star-artichoke

markqz 3/3/2020, 12:49 pm

sanderson wrote:The artichoke seedling I planted in October survived the light freeze and has really grow, at least 6' in diameter. My concern is that the lower leaves lie down and then die, one by one. Is this normal? The pot is filled with Mel's Mix.

It looks pretty good to me. As long as it keeps growing. In mine, it's normal for the lower leaves to die, probably because they serve no purpose.

Here's mine, which thrives on neglect and rain water. Well, mostly rain water, which it gets only this time of the year:

Growing Artichoke Y4Nmu1a

It's more than 3 feet tall. I may have fertilized 3 or four years ago. Be prepared. After your artichoke flowers in May, or even if it doesn't, it will die off completely. You might even think it's dead. But it's (probably) just dormant. Artichokes like things cool, so I have it along a south (north-facing) wall. Still not cool enough.

**sanderson** 3/3/2020, 2:25 pm

CN, Opps, sorry. Embarassed

Mark, mine is in a 2'x2' pot also located near the south fence. It will be under shade cloth but thank you for letting me know it may die back.

countrynaturals 3/3/2020, 2:59 pm

markqz wrote:
sanderson wrote:The artichoke seedling I planted in October survived the light freeze and has really grow, at least 6' in diameter. My concern is that the lower leaves lie down and then die, one by one. Is this normal? The pot is filled with Mel's Mix.

It looks pretty good to me. As long as it keeps growing. In mine, it's normal for the lower leaves to die, probably because they serve no purpose.

Here's mine, which thrives on neglect and rain water. Well, mostly rain water, which it gets only this time of the year:

It's more than 3 feet tall. I may have fertilized 3 or four years ago. Be prepared. After your artichoke flowers in May, or even if it doesn't, it will die off completely. You might even think it's dead. But it's (probably) just dormant. Artichokes like things cool, so I have it along a south (north-facing) wall. Still not cool enough.

Gorgeous, Mark. Maybe our temp swings are just too much for them. This is my last try, but if it doesn't work out, I'm only out a couple of seed packets and a few hours' time. Razz

markqz 3/6/2020, 11:50 pm

sanderson wrote:The artichoke seedling I planted in October survived the light freeze and has really grow, at least 6' in diameter. My concern is that the lower leaves lie down and then die, one by one. Is this normal? The pot is filled with Mel's Mix.

I've been trying to clean up the back yard. Here's a close up of the dying leaves under the artichoke.

Growing Artichoke Yswbwci

**sanderson** 3/7/2020, 12:56 am

Thanks, Mark.

**sanderson** 3/23/2020, 3:53 pm

A 2" artichoke with 2 little babies starting underneath. I want to harvest it as it's starting to open. Yes??

yolos 3/23/2020, 10:06 pm

sanderson wrote:A 2" artichoke with 2 little babies starting underneath. I want to harvest it as it's starting to open. Yes??

Yes, looks ready to harvest. What is the variety?

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