When to harvest artichokes?

[DrakeMaiden]

I've got some about to flower. I heard to cut them before the leaf bracts start to open on the flower. Hard to know when that is unless you have grown them before and let them flower. LOL Anyone have a fool-proof method for knowing when to harvest them? The heads are different sizes on my various plants, but all look like they are starting to open their leaf bracts, so I just went ahead and cut them already. Is there a certain temperature at which they begin to flower?

 

[miron28]

i have been trying to grow artichokes for a long time is there any secret and can i see some pic of your plant thanks

 

[Greenthumb18]

I know that you need to harvest before the flower buds bloom, but i believe the warmer the temps. the faster it will bloom. Hope this helps, remember when preparing them for eating to remove the "heart" which has all those thin thorns and is pinkish.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there!

Here's a link to an article on growing artichokes -- right at the end of it is a photo showing one ready to be cut. I grew them in my last garden & I cut the green ones at this stage but I also grew the little violet ones (which I prefer). They don't really have a "choke" (unless they are left unpicked) so you can cook & eat the whole thing.

www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4796/how-to-grow-artichokes

Hope this helps

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Thank you for the article, Hattie!

Yeah, I suspect I cut them a little too early, as they were not open that far yet. Oh well, live and learn. I had just transplanted them and it got too hot all of a sudden, so it will probably do the plants some good to have less stress.

My artichokes have been somewhat neglected, as I have not considered them a priority crop. I started them last spring and just didn't find the time to plant them out in the garden. I think that worked to my advantage because we had an exceptionally cold winter this year. What I did was pot some up into larger pots and sink them down in the soil in my greenhouse. They made it through the winter, whereas the ones I had left outdoors did not and probably would not have survived even if I had planted them properly and taken good care of them. (This winter lots of people in my area lost marginally hardy plants that were not well-established)

My artichoke plants that looked like they were going to flower, I recently finally planted in the greenhouse. The next day the weather warmed up all of a sudden and BOOM, they started to flower. After about a week of watering them several times a day, the flowerhead bracts started to open, just not as far as the photo in that article. I cut them. Not sure if they will be edible. But again, it is probably best for the poor overworked, under-loved plants.

When I started growing these artichokes I had no intention of keeping them in the greenhouse, but last winter changed my mind. If these guys succumb to my neglect, I will start some new ones and winter them at least the first year in the greenhouse. I haven't decided if the greenhouse will just be too extreme for them during the summer, or if they will make it ok.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Take root cutting of the ones you have at the end of summer; overwinter them in your greenhouse. Then next year plant them out in the garden & take more root cuttings at the end of next summer etc. etc. down the years!

If you water & feed your present plants you should get more artichokes. Follow the instructions in the article!

GOOD LUCK! :rainbow-sun


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Thanks Hattie! I gave them veritable heaps of compost and horse manure and am religiously watering them. There are more flowers on the way.

I had not thought about root cuttings. It will be my first attempt, but certainly worth the effort! Thank you for the tip! That sounds like a feasible way to keep them going.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi DrakeMaiden

I just came across this video about cooking artichokes:-

http://video.about.com/italianfood/Artichokes.htm

I thought it would be useful in that it shows the stage at which the large artichokes should be picked but also I thought it helpful in showing others how to excavate the "choke"(always a bit daunting when you first do it)!

:rose Hattie :rose