ARTICHOKE Purple Romagna 4″sq
Tender, oblong shaped buds develop with variations in green and purple coloring with green tips. Plant outdoors after the danger of frost has passed in rich Organic soil. In hot weather, give the plants deep soakings of water, watering them from the base. To winter the Artichoke plants, cut them down to 8 – 10 inches and mulch them heavily. What grows next year will be offshoots of the parent plant. Prefer full sun. Perennial, Zones 8-11.
Artichoke Growing Tips
Globe artichokes are considered perennials in zones 7 and up but are typically treated as annuals in our area, although they have been known to occasionally survive the winter. Normally, artichokes wouldn’t begin to flower until the second year, so in order to encourage them to flower the first year, so we can harvest buds, young seedlings need to go through a special process called vernalization which will “trick” them into flowering. This involves being exposed to a period of cold temperatures during their seedling phase. The artichoke plants we sell have already gone through this process, so there is no need to worry about having to do it yourself.
Planting
- Artichokes grow best in well drained, fertile soil that has a pH between 6.5 and 7.0.
- Prior to planting, prepare the soil by incorporating a good quality compost and a balanced fertilizer. Artichoke plants will grow to be quite large, so make sure to space them at least 2 to 3 ft apart in rows that are 4 to 6 ft apart.
Watering
Artichokes require regular water, about 1” per week. Drip irrigation is an effective and efficient way to irrigate vegetable crops because the water is delivered directly to the soil where it will be taken up by the roots. Drip irrigation also keeps water off of the foliage which will reduce the risk of disease development.
Maintenance
Keep the planting well weeded. Using mulch, such as cocoa mulch, straw, untreated dry grass clippings or shredded leaves will suppress weed growth and help retain soil moisture.
Harvesting
- Artichoke buds should begin to develop in late July. Two types of buds are formed:
- Primary Buds:
- 2-3 per plant
- Located at the tips of the flowering stalks
- Largest buds – typically 3” in diameter
- Secondary Buds:
- Develop along the remainder of the stalk
- Smaller size, but more numerous
- More tender than the primary buds with fewer tough outer bracts
- The plant will continue to produce these buds up until a hard frost.
- Buds are ready to harvest when they feel compact for their size when squeezed. If the buds are too mature, the bracts will begin to pull away from each other and they will be tough and bitter.
- Wearing gloves when harvesting or working around the plants is highly recommended to protect yourself from their numerous spines!
- To harvest, clip off the buds leaving about 2-3” of the stem attached. Cool the buds soon after harvesting and store in the refrigerator. They will typically store well this way for about 2 weeks.
- Primary Buds:
