Any Artichoke Growers Around?

Yummy dinner tonight!

droooooooool ^_^

Make a quick blender bernaise to dip the leaves in after steaming, of course...

Yes, Beth get out there and pick those! I missed the boat on some of mine this year. They just got away from me. What can I say life gets in the way sometimes. I've learned that you really need to pick them before they open. The outer leaves may be real hard at this point (I hope they're not) you may have to skip those and go for the more tender inner leaves.

I was wondering if it was too late this year to start artichokes in pots, and carry them through the winter then plant next spring outside.? anybody know, I was wanting to try these


concerto artichoke

That is a beauty of an artichoke!

i'm jealous

I live in Spokane WA. I tried to grow them but they didn't develope fast enough and went to flowers while still small. Does any one know how I can keep them from doing that again. Thanks

i am at a loss when it comes to these monsters but jenhillphoto can help you i am sure.

Marciaspe- I don't know why that happened to your artichokes. I do know that mine never get as big as the ones at the supermarket. I don't think you could ever pick them too early, but it is true they will flower if you don't pick them soon enough. That happened to a few of my buds this year. They just got away from me. The cool thing is, the bees love it.

Check out this video I shot yesterday morning:

http://www.vimeo.com/1522711

Tip: you will need a good internet connection to view this. Some have better results starting the video and then pausing it and letting some buffer build before viewing it.

Jen

I haven't taken a picture of my Artichoke yet but I've got one growing in zone 3. Now we have had some pretty warm winters lately (I'm not holding my breath on this one though) so I'm going to be doing some serious mulching using straw, shredded bark, and leaves this fall. I figure if we can overwinter a Japanese Tree Peony here my Artichoke just might have a chance.

Edited to say mine is a Green Globe Artichoke (hardy to zone 5).

This message was edited Aug 15, 2008 12:31 AM

gtreat video jen. i'm afraid that my experiment with artichokes will come to a close after this season. i have gret looking plants but thats about it. i see nothing growing at all.

Go lilypon go!!! Please keep us posted on how yours does.

LOL thanks Dahlianut! ;D

Ooooops and forgot to say I will post to this thread (crossing fingers and toes it survives this upcoming non-El Nino winter).

I am wondering if there is to much nitrogen in her soil, It seem that plants that go to all leaves have to much what do you think?. Marcia Spokane WA


This is from HERBIE43 wappingers falls, NY
gtreat video jen. i'm afraid that my experiment with artichokes will come to a close after this season. i have gret looking plants but thats about it. i see nothing growing at all.

since i plant in containers and i use MG potting soil for containers i don't think thats my problem.

Very good I have not planted them in pots just in the ground. Maybe I will give it a try next spring. I hope I have better success this time, so they won't go to seed right away.

i would be happy to see a flower on my plants but all i got are huge leaves.

Wonder what Horseshoe does? When I went to the Tomatopalooza at his farm, he had some really nice artichokes growing.

been following this story along, but haven't been brave enough yet to try to grow any. I have a really dumb question. What does an artichoke taste like. I have seen pics, in all the catalogs, but nevr seen one in person, let alone tasted one. Am I missing out on the next great food?

Herbie.. Have you been giving it alot of fertilizer? Have no idea how to grow these plants, but wonder if maybe a little bloom booster an dless nitrogen would make yours get some blooms going? Just an idea.

i used some 5-10-10 fertilizer when i first planted it. i mixed into deep into the soil and then i used MG every three weeks. if you want some seeds i will be glad to give you some. d-mail me

starlight some like it some don't. You steam it and then pull the leaves off and only bite off the soft part(actually you pull it off with your teeth) and the heart is the best.And you dip it in butter SO GOOD!!!! deanna

we bread it before we steam it

Thanks for the offer Herbie, but think I will see if I cna fdind one in the store first. I know it won't taste as good, but will give me an idea as to whether I like it or not before I try and grow a bunch.

Is there another veggie or a fruit or something that close in taste to it.

The way my mom served them was with a simple vinaigrette. To this day that is the only way I have ever eaten a whole artichoke. I put the hearts in all kinds of dishes, my favorite being fettucini.

not that i know of.

Just steamed they have a very, very mild taste (some say *somewhat* similar, but not the same, to peas, asparagus or popcorn).

They are unique. :)

Starlight I'm posting again to say also I love marinated chokes. They are *very* tasty in dips and salads.

Hummmmmmmm. Now I love asparagus. Love it fresh and steamed and served just about anyway. When no fresh is around I wil buy cans of it and eat the whole can all to myself. I cna be a pig when it comes to aspargus. : )

When I go to the store this weekend gonan see if I cna find some and try some of these recipes. They all sound yummy. : )

I hear you starlight1153. I started growing asparagus last year I luv it so much. I'm hoping to have my first harvest next year.

Hello I planted a lot of the Asparagas roots had them in the grow boxes for going on 3 years. This year they didn't grow except fot 3 plants I don't know what happened.

Jen: I'm so glad I found this thread, I live in NW Florida, close to Alabama in zone 8B, I started some seeds even though it gets chilly here in the winter and one of the type of seeds I planted was Imperial Artichokes. I love artichokes and wanted to plant them. I had planted them about a week ago or so and now have 12 coming up with pretty green leafs. I planted them in the large peat pellets and keep them indoors. I was afraid to plant them outside because of the cold weather we will get here in October through February, it will be getting lower than 30 degrees here. Anyways, was thinking about transporting them to a friends house who lives in southern Florida, letting them winter there and then bringing them back up here in March? Good idea or not? I'm going to put them into Boca Bob's Coconut coir grow bags in southern Florida and then bring them up here in March and probably put them in earth boxes. How long did it take to get them to where they would produce fruit and do they need any special care different from other veggies?
joy112854

For everyones info, larger artichokes could care less about a frost, they don't mind whatsoever. Won't have any problem 'till around 25.

Luzianne: Could you explain what you mean a little in more detail please? Exactly when do you plant artichoke seeds in zone 8B? I had bought 4 one year old globe artichokes from California, only two look like they are going to make it, have them planted in earthboxes. I have seemed to have gotten the idea that the Imperial artichokes are treated more as an annual? And that the cold causes them to form buds, that they need a certain amount of cool hours?
joy

Yes, need I believe 250 hours between freezing and around 45 or so. They plant 'em in late Sept./early Oct. here to get 'em going before frost temps, but to make sure they get their cold in. Been between 27 and freezing about 5 times this winter - they just love it. However, they naked roots I planted of a different variety - about 4 came up before it froze & the ones that didn't sprout yet never did after that. But even the little sprouts with 2 little shoots weren't bothered at all by the freeze.

Everyone else grows them as annuals here, but it isn't necessary since it might be once every 10 years it gets below 25 here. Hard freeze for about 10 hours a month or so ago didn't bother tham at all. I've got 2 purplish varieties. But it didn't bother my cardoon in the least either. If you leave 'em grow, they'll make a bunch of new plants around the base that you can simply pull, restick & water & multiply your patch on & on.

Luzianne Wow thanks, I didn't know that. I got 2 globals I bought like I said as 1 yr old plants, the cold hasn't bothered them; but they are growing so slow. I did buy some Imperial artichoke seeds from burpees. When should I plant them, what month, I mean?
joy

Shouldn't make any difference there, it should never get too cold. I don't know how you could get them the cold they need by now though if they haven't outside already. If not they'll grow great & should make next year.

Luzianne: My part of Florida is not like the other parts of Florida, artichokes grow here because I'm a zone 8B, my last frost date here is April 7th, believe me, for three nights running we have had 22 degree nights and not real high during the day, the city I live in is the coldest city in Florida. Hard to believe it I know; but, Florida has 3 growing zones, the panhandle where I live weather is like Alabamas and Mississippis. It's a zone 8B; but, central Florida is a 9 and south Florida is a 10, wild hey? LOL
joy

Well, if you leave 'em outside from now on, you might still have a chance.

Is that around Chipley & Bonifay?