Growing Artichokes
How To Grow Artichokes

Cynara cardunculus

Growing Artichokes Is Easy! Artichoke growing can be done nearly anywhere in your garden! You can grow an artichoke plant in your mixed border as an ornamental plant or in a vegetable garden!

Artichokes, also called Globe Artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables. I just love them boiled with a little bit of aioli to dip the leaves into. The Globe artichoke plant is also a very attractive ornamental plant with lovely grey foliage. I like to integrate them into my perennial or mixed borders. They make great focal points with their unusual leaves and flowers.

Globe artichokes are an unusual vegetable: you eat the immature flower of a thistle! You can also eat the young flower stalks and leaves.

The globe artichoke comes from the mediterranean. The Greeks and Romans have already been cultivating artichokes there.

Artichoke Flower

Popular Artichoke Varieties

Purple Artichoke varieties are delicious too!

Photo: miheco

The most popular artichoke variety is Green Globe which makes a lovely big, green artichoke. Other popular varieties are 'Violetta' or 'Purple Roscoff', a purple artichoke with a more spiny, elongated red head.

You can buy artichoke seeds here

How To Grow Artichokes

Soil: You need a warm, light soil for artichoke growing. Being a Mediterranian plant they dislike heavy soils that are wet in the winter.

Artichoke plants can be grown in hardiness zone 7 or above. Enrich the soil with plenty of good compost. Adding a thick layer of mulch to protect them from frost helps with growing artichokes in colder climates.

Feeding: Cynara cardunculus is a heavy feeder during the summer. Add some fertilizer with plenty of nitrogen during the growing season.

Propagation and Planting of Artichoke Plants

You can grow artichokes from seed or take off side shoots from established plants. Plant them out in the spring about 3 feet apart.

You might harvest only a few heads at the en of the first season. The plants are perennial and should produce for three to four years.

Where to buy seeds?

Are you looking for good vegetable and flower seeds for a reasonable price?

At www.genericseeds.com you will get a great selection of flower and vegetable seeds including Heirloom varieties at great prices. The seeds are guaranteed, tested and non GMO.

They use a cheaper way of packaging their seeds and can pass the saving on to you. That way you will pay for the seed and not the seed packet! GenericSeeds offers a great selection of seeds for fantastic value.