Posted in: Growing Vegetables
Finally, some artichokes grew in my garden! This was the first little one, appearing around the middle of August, 2007.
Several more followed in each place the leaves attached to the stalk.
My first delicious meal of four were cooked and eaten last night, the best part of all. I cut the stems as long a possible because they are edible too. After the tops were trimmed they were boiled in an open pot for about 35 minutes. These were small so I didn’t trim the tips of each leaf. They were so tender that after eating the first outer leaves I then ate all the middle part, leaves, choke and all.
Several times I’ve tried growing them, thinking I could protect them to carry them over until the next growing season, but never could. Now this happened in the first growing season. Global warming?
They were started indoors quite early in February using Imperial Star. Since I’m in zone 6 they were set out at the end of April. Several times they were covered since frost was forecast, but never happened. The three plants set out grew to be huge, thistle-like bushes. Only one has produced artichokes, but there is still hope for the rest. Previously I had only set out two plants each year. Next year I will try six to see how many, if any, produce. Have read that soaking them in water for 8 hours, and then keeping them in sand in the fridge for two weeks help flowering. Next winter I’ll try that. The main advice is “keep trying” and “have hope.” Where there’s hope, there may be artichokes!
Before the first frost I was cutting the artichokes back to be covered. Then I discovered another plant had an artichoke about the size of a golf ball. Sad that it didn’t get bigger, but there’s always next year.
This one was being saved for seeds, in hopes it would produce some before frost. The new growth at the bottom gives me hope for the next season. Frost was predicted so I cut it.
After it seemed to dry up, these lovely lavender blooms came out. Maybe there will be seeds after all!
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That looks like a great recipe, I can’t wait to try it and serve it to my husband and kids! Fatastic Blog, keep up the fabulous job you’re doing!
Comment by gardennewbie — September 24, 2007 @ 10:00 pm
My girlfriend recently got me on NutriSystem. I don’t know if your recipe will fit within the program, but who cares - NutriSystem hasn’t worked for me anyway. The food tastes like crap.
Comment by Ralph D. — September 24, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
Your web site reminds me why I live in the mountains incredible beauty, tranquility and the friendliness of neighbors. Your web site is very informative and great fun to read.
I am now tempted to try a hand at growing my own produce. A fear of insects were a great deterent, I thought I might have to scatter sandwiches and pastries around the garden to distract the insects until the seeds had a chance to form vegetables. Thanks to you I am elated to learn all I need is sprigs of dill..
I cannot wait to plant the rolly polly’s and look forward to them becoming one big, pulsating squash herd all over my yard.
Excellent website…looking forward to more
Comment by gardner wannabe — October 1, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Your photos are making me homesick!!!! Gosh, they are so beautiful! I’m itching to show your site to Sue, who also loves to garden. Kathy’s been too busy to peek at it yet….maybe after school’s out and Xmas is over. She’s a busy, working teacher. You surely understand that. So I’ll just enjoy it all ’til they can, too. Pat Mia for me. Missing you. Love, LIL
Comment by LIL PARKS — December 22, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
We had artichokes last night with Rabia. She brought me to your site to see your artichoke page and while reading I noticed you were saving seeds to plant. What my husband does is stop watering the plants after they flower and they become dry. The next season he waters again and they flourish but each plant has offshoots that are taken from the mother and planted. I believe that most artichoke farmers end up replacing their plants every five to seven years as they stop producing as well after that.
Comment by Cathy in Fih, Lebanon — May 21, 2008 @ 10:37 pm