growing artichokes?

[Greenthumb18]

Have you have better luck direct seed or from transplants. Also has anyone put the seed through cold treatment? I'm preparing a bed in my garden for some just wanted to know if cold treatment was important?

Thanks guys !!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

I presume you mean Globe Artichokes & not the kind that give you WIND?

I have done it both ways. Offsets are much quicker & consequently much more expensive! I didn't have much choice this year as all offsets had been sold & there was already a waiting list for next year.........!!? Everyone is digging up their lawns, planting veg & fruit & ordering chickens. At least they will also be able to stop their subscriptions to the gym (& save a bit more money)!

I sowed my seeds in April & plan to transplant them out of their pots in the Fall for eating the chokes next year. If I had sown the seed in January I could probably have got them this year but it was a long hard winter here in the UK -- the coldest in 19 year!

I started them in the house, then transferred them to a small portable greenhouse followed by re-potting into larger pots which I now have transferred outside. They are now 4"-5" high and have 4-6 real leaves.

I didn't give them the cold treatment -- mostly because it wasn't on the packet & I didn't read up about them because I had grown them in my previous garden where they had done very well. But this time I planted the variety that has small violet coloured chokes. I'm also going to grow some more large ones --the seeds arrived today.

If you are about to sow the seeds I would try 50% with the cold treatment & 50% without . I'll do the same.

Hope this helped. :happy_flower

HAPPY GARDENING. :tools


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Greenthumb18]

I presume you mean Globe Artichokes & not the kind that give you WIND?

I have done it both ways. Offsets are much quicker & consequently much more expensive! I didn't have much choice this year as all offsets had been sold & there was already a waiting list for next year.........!!? Everyone is digging up their lawns, planting veg & fruit & ordering chickens. At least they will also be able to stop their subscriptions to the gym (& save a bit more money)!

I sowed my seeds in April & plan to transplant them out of their pots in the Fall for eating the chokes next year. If I had sown the seed in January I could probably have got them this year but it was a long hard winter here in the UK -- the coldest in 19 year!

I started them in the house, then transferred them to a small portable greenhouse followed by re-potting into larger pots which I now have transferred outside. They are now 4"-5" high and have 4-6 real leaves.

I didn't give them the cold treatment -- mostly because it wasn't on the packet & I didn't read up about them because I had grown them in my previous garden where they had done very well. But this time I planted the variety that has small violet coloured chokes. I'm also going to grow some more large ones --the seeds arrived today.

If you are about to sow the seeds I would try 50% with the cold treatment & 50% without . I'll do the same.

Hope this helped. :happy_flower

HAPPY GARDENING. :tools


:rose Hattie :rose

Yep i meant globe artichokes

I'm going to sow some in flats and put them in the greenhouse. Dont understand why cold treatment is necessary, since you got away without the cold treatment maybe its not needed.
But i'll try some in the greenhouse and some in cold treatment, i would have to place the seeds in the refridge, right?

Thanks Hattie !!!!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

It's to break the dormancy of the seed.

I may have got away with it because the weather was freezing cold at the time when I ordered it (ie February) It was probably frozen in transit -- everything was !!! So YES! put them in the fridge.

Which variety are you going to grow?

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Greenthumb18]

It's to break the dormancy of the seed.

I may have got away with it because the weather was freezing cold at the time when I ordered it (ie February) It was probably frozen in transit -- everything was !!! So YES! put them in the fridge.

Which variety are you going to grow?

:rose Hattie :rose

So i should just throw the packet of artichoke seeds in the fridge right? or should i plant them in soil then in fridge?

I'm growing the variety Imperial Star, it produces artichokes the first year when planted and the yield is good on this one.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

You could do either but it is more practical to just stick the packet in.
Otherwise your whole family will think this gardening obsession has gotten way out of control........................!!!!

"Imperial Star" is a new variety to me. Let us know how it all goes & how it tastes!

GOOD LUCK! Maybe next year you will try Cardoons.......!!


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi greenthumb

I have just found this site --it is the answer to the question which is interesting as I did not know this before & I will definitely try it out with some of mine as they get larger. This would make them a lot more productive, if true. The violet ones that I am growing are known for being rather sparse in the choke bearing stakes!

http://my.kitchengardeners.org/forum/topics/artichokes-1

Hope this is interesting to you?


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[herbsherbsflowers]

I am interested in growing these also. Do they need full sun? Can they take a little shade? Are they long-lived?

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Yes they do need a lot of sun but they don't need it all day. They also need very fertile soil & lots of moisture to give a good harvest. They grow into HUGE PLANTS (like 9-12 footers) & can easily get to 6ft across )!!! Cardoons are the same family with similar habits. Once you have grown them you will never think your garden is complete without them!

Their leaves are massive & a beautiful texture & shade of green.


Good luck with them. :happy_flower


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Greenthumb18]

You could do either but it is more practical to just stick the packet in.
Otherwise your whole family will think this gardening obsession has gotten way out of control........................!!!!

"Imperial Star" is a new variety to me. Let us know how it all goes & how it tastes!

GOOD LUCK! Maybe next year you will try Cardoons.......!!


:rose Hattie :rose

Thanks Hattie!!

Ok i just placed the packet in the fridge i guess i'll leave it for a few days then i'll plant the whole packet. I think my family already thinks this gardening obsession has gotten way out of control.....
Yeah i've been thinking about cardoons but have never tried them, i know a fruit store that sells them every year so if i like it then i might try planting it next year.
Ohh and i took a look at that link, it was very helpful.
Thanks again Hattie i couldn't appreciate it more!!!!!!!!!!!! :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun