Growing Vegetables

Long and mild winters and cool summer nights are needed to produce the heavy vegetative growth that supports the edible flower buds of the artichokes. This massive and highly decorative plant has large deeply cut leaves. These will twist up into a silvery green fountain that can spread up to six feet wide in diameter. Any flower buds that are not harvested will ripen into large, violet pink thistle blossoms. These can be dried for arrangements that will last for several years. Three or four well established plants will provide plenty of buds for an entire family.

Planting

Artichokes can be grown from root divisions, which can be purchased or separated from a desirable mother plant. Divide the roots in autumn when the foliage has fallen back. Use a jet of water from a hose to expose a side shoot. Cut it off 6 to 8 inches below the crown. If you start from seed you may get rangy plants with small, late maturing buds.  You can purchase root divisions in early spring from nurseries or garden supply stores. In the west and along the gulf and south eastern coasts, you can plant the divisions any time after late winter. Choose a spot with well drained and fertile soil that is warmed by full sun. Except in very hot areas where the artichoke will enjoy some afternoon shade. For each root division, dig a hole 18inchs deep and 4 to 5 feet apart. Fill the hole with water and let it soak in. For each plant, mix a bucket of organic matter with some of the removed soil and partially refill the holes.  Position the roots vertically, covering the old root with soil, but leaving the base of the new, leafy shoots just above the soil line. Water again to settle the soil and complete filling the hole. Water every other day until new growth appears. Artichokes will thrive in containers with a soil capacity of at least two cubic feet.

Care

Pull or hoe weeds or spread a straw mulch under the leaf canopy.  The weeds will steal water and nutrients from the plants. Every week to two weeks during dry wheather, let the hose trickle water at hthe base of the plant for one to two hours. Artichokes are heavy feeders and will respond to high levels of Nitrogen water soluble fertilizers which should be applied every three to four weeks. This should be applied after a heavy watering and should be followed up with a light watering to dissolve the fertilizer down into the root zone.

Harvesting

Each plant should bear a few buds the first season. From the second year on the plants should produce from 24 to 48 buds from the late winter through mid summer. The harvest period will be will be earlier where winters are warm. Cut the buds before the fleshy, edible bracts begin to open in preparation for flowering. Leave a 1 ½ inch length of stem on each bud when you cut it. After each major stem has fruited it will begin to dry up and can be removed. New, fruitful shoots will form through the season.