PrintDoes anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
I have 3 recently purchased plants. They're about a foot tall. When can i expect artichokes? Any suggestions on using fresh artichokes (up to moving to California, I only had ready access to canned)?
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9 Comments:
Yep. I grow them in NorCal. The keys to good artichokes are water and cool temperatures - that's why they are grown in Watsonville. Your 'chokes will not set flowers until probably late March. The plants get truly enormous (4 feet tall, 5 feet wide) and will set a gigantic artichoke first. Chop this (remember to leave at least 2 inches of yummy stem!) and it will set side 'chokes better. You might get two crops out of them per year in your area. I need to let mine go dormant in the hot Sacramento summers. Give them 1 inch of water per week.
Not enough info for ya? Here is a great UC-Davis publication on the topic.
HunterAnglerGardenerCook at 8:27PM on 01/03/08
I grew up in Santa Cruz county, all the best artichokes grow between watsonville and Monterey, so lots of summer fog must have a major impact on healty growth or perhaps a shaded growing area with an auto mister set for early mornings.
tspainw at 5:36PM on 01/04/08
I wish I'd known what I was doing the year I decided to grow artichokes. I planted one plant, to see how it would do. After 2 months of solid watering, it grew one artichoke, which grew to a decent size. After I cut it off and we ate it, that was all she wrote.
If I'd kept track of the water I used to grow that thing, I think it may have cost me around $12 to feed it. But it was delicious. Maybe I'll give it another shot this Spring.
Oddly enough, a trip through Santa Cruz is what inspired me to try to grow my own. That is artichoke country, to be certain.
philn at 3:55PM on 01/05/08
Beth, I know you just moved to San Diego County, but are you also new to the entire state of California? If so, and if you like growing things, you must go out and purchase the Sunset Western Garden Book -- it's the local gardening Bible, and you will quickly find it indispensable to making things grow in our climate.
Santa Cruz county is definitely the artichoke capitol of the world. But, fortunately, San Diego is famous for it's amazing mild microclimate, and you can grow lots of things there that would suffer elsewhere in the Southland. I'm not sure what part of north county you're in, but I'm going to assume you're in Sunset zone 23 (a bit inland, but still near the coast) or 24 (right on the coast). If you're living along I-15, you're probably in zone 21.
Anyway, according to the Bible (Sunset), artichokes in our area should be grown in partial shade as a perennial. They grow "luxuriantly" from spring through fall. You should plant dormant roots or plants in winter or early spring (so you're doing okay there), about 4-6 ft apart. After active growth starts, to ensure a crop, water plants thoroughly once a week, wetting the entire root system. Your "edible buds" will come in early summer only. Harvest buds while they're still tight and plump. And, as recommended above by Hunter, encourage a second crop by cutting off the main stalk an inch above the ground after harvesting the last bud of the first crop. The new sprouts at the base will grow faster and produce sooner than if you leave the plant uncut.
Good luck!
LoCo at 4:27PM on 01/05/08
Hey Beth,
I'm perpetually obsessed with artichokes. I'm in the city, so I convinced my parents to trying growing some artichoke plants at their house in PA. The results were mixed, but it was a fun experience nonetheless. You can check it out here. There's also a recipe in there for fried artichokes. Have fun experimenting! I love working with fresh artichokes. Just be careful of the sharp petals. They'll give you a nasty gash if you're not careful, especially when washing them. I'm now in the habit of snipping off all the petal ends with a pair of scissors before I do anything.
chungle at 7:02PM on 01/05/08
Well, from all your help, it sounds like my artichokes are in luck. They are in a partially shaded area of my herb garden. We recently moved to California from northern Florida (my husband is in the military). I can't wait to get my first spring planting underway. The artichokes and some herbs are as far as I've gotten, as well as some citrus trees that come with the house. Thanks for all your help and recommendations.
beth1 at 1:30AM on 01/06/08
All I know about growing artichokes is to keep the dog away from them. Apparently dogs love to gnaw on artichokes. While I deny my border collie little of what he wants, he will never get another shot at an artichoke plant. Our relationship is so full mutual understanding, with each of us going out of our way to please the other, it seems a shame we should come to blows over a mere thistle. So be it. I have spoken my last of it. Yes, I'm talking to you, Oreo.
doodoolemonque at 11:29PM on 01/06/08
That's so funny that your dog likes artichokes. I didn't think animals liked them at all (except humans of course).
Writing of artichoke consumption in ancient Rome, Pliny remarked "thus we turn into a corrupt feast the earth's monstrosities, those which even the animals instinctively avoid."
I guess Pliny had it all wrong.
chungle at 10:18AM on 01/07/08
Well...we got 6 viable plants from a pack of 30 seeds, each in their own peat pot...1 block into Maryland...across the street from the District of Columbia. And this last summer was hot, baby, and dry. With careful watering, 5 of the 6 did great and I anticipate a good crop of 'chokes next summer. I know that they're in too much sun, but we have almost no shade in the garden. We love the plants and hope to get some 'chokes, but if not, then we've got some cool plants.
Scottzel at 8:27PM on 01/08/08