Artichoke
Vegetable
Start indoors in late winter, four to six weeks before the last frost date. Keep seedlings under bright lights.
Artichoke
How to Grow:
Vegetable
Timing:
Start indoors in late winter, four to six weeks before the last frost date. Keep seedlings under bright lights.
Starting:
Sow two seeds per pot, 5mm (¼”) deep. Keep moist in a warm place until seeds germinate in 10 to 21 days. Transplant seedlings into the garden 2 weeks after the last average frost date for your area. Artichokes need a cool period (250 hours — approximately 10 to 11 days) below 10°C (50°F) to induce flowering in the first year, but will not survive hard frost. Space plants 1m (3′) apart. Seeds can also be germinated between damp sheets of paper towel.
Growing:
Ideal pH: 5.6-6.6. Select a sunny, sheltered location with well-draining soil. Dig in lots of compost or rotted manure and add 1/2 to 1 cup of per plant. Approximately two weeks before the last frost date (or if hard frost is forecast) cut the plants back to 15cm (6″) tall, and mulch well with straw, soil, leaves, or burlap, to keep the roots from freezing. Uncover after the last frost date. GerminationDays to maturity: From transplant.In optimum conditions at least 70% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 1 year.
Harvest:
Cut individual flowers before they start to open in late summer.
