Have you started any of your seeds yet? Well if you’re looking for some information on how to grow artichokes, this is for you!!
Yesterday I started my artichoke seeds under grow lights and I am super excited. My husband LOVES artichokes and I think it’s one of the most beautiful vegetables you can grow. In fact there have been a few years that I haven’t even harvested my artichokes because the plant is so pretty, I wanted to watch it bloom.
What Is An Artichoke?
The artichoke is a thistle-like plant, grown for its nutritious edible flower {which must be eaten before it blooms}. I actually wrote 10 fun facts about artichokes a while back if you want to check it out. 😉
Planting Artichoke Seeds
You want to plant artichoke seeds 1/8″ deep. Some years I start my seeds in those handy dandy little Jiffy pellets. Other years I’ll plant 3-4 seeds in a 4 inch plastic pot. It really just depends on what kind of planting containers I have on hand.
Where to Plant Artichokes
In colder climates, start your artichoke seeds indoors 12 weeks before the last predicted frost date. In milder climates, you can sow seeds indoors in early fall and transplant them outside 6 weeks before first frost.
When the temps warm up and it’s time to plant them outside, choose a somewhat sheltered location where they can get full sun most of the day. You’ll want to keep rows at least 2-4′ apart as artichokes do best when they have some elbow room.
Once your artichoke plants are established, you may want to fertilize them once a week with an organic liquid fertilizer {some of the places we’ve lived over the years have had better soil than others so it really just depends on your soil}.
How To Harvest Artichokes
Artichokes are ready to harvest when their buds reach full size, but are still closed. Cut off the buds within 2-3 inches of the stem. It’s really that easy!!
Are you planning on growing artichokes this year? Do you have a favorite way to serve them? I’d love to know.
~Mavis
Eli Rose says
Do you have any recipes you make with artichoke? They always look so pretty, but I never know how to prepare them.
Kristina says
I have artichokes in my front flower beds, right by my front door, as they are perennial here in central California. I eat some and let the rest bloom. Here, if you already have an established plant, you can divide it every couple of years. I have several now from one plant I put in twelve years ago. They are very good harvested super small and braised in olive oil, garlic and herbs. You can eat the whole leaf and a couple inches of stem this way.
Margo says
Love artichokes! We had several plants last season. The plants were over 6 feet tall and gave us lots of chokes. We ate them fresh, then froze over 20 of them for eating off season. Unfortunately a gopher damaged their roots. One of the two died, then last month we had a flash flood go through the backyard and hit the remaining one. It’s pretty iffy as to recovery. Might plant a few more elsewhere this year. We enjoy the chokes, and the foliage and blooms are exquisite as well!
Elise in the SF Bay Area says
We live near open space with no chance against goohers. Anything planted in the ground goes into a “gopher basket”. We have been 100% successful since we replanted our back yard with the “baskets” 5 years ago (and 3 layers of hardware cloth under the small lawn area).
Margo says
Thank for the idea. I’ll try it! We’re in So. Cal. I think the gopher might be trying to become the state animal!
Tiffany F. says
I don’t think I’ve ever actually tried an artichoke.
Mavis Butterfield says
They are so good done up any way.
Linda says
Your hooked rug appears every day on my news feed. I am fascinated!
Practical Parsimony
Judy says
I love artichokes! Eaten steamed, dipped in garlic butter. Pickled, or preserved in olive oil then put on a pizza. Or eaten on a charcuterie plate. Added to a pickety bits meal, yum. I came across an Italian recipe last year to deep fry, kind of like a blooming onion. I usually never deep fry anything, so haven’t tried that one yet. Did I mention that I love them?!
Dianna says
I love artichokes but have never successfully grown them. Last year was the closest I got….transplanted 2 seedlings into an earthbox and they grew well but never had buds. I will try again this year! Fresh artichokes are so expensive here (around $5 each) so I rarely buy them.