GLOBE ARTICHOKE
- Globe artichokes make a fantastic addition to any vegetable garden. Globe artichokes are perennial plants. They will grow from seeds, but it is easier to plant cuttings from existing plants. If planting from seeds, plant lots as they can be really varied. So plant lots and keep the best.
- For the best results plant in sunny sheltered spot, with ideally really nice fertile soil.
- Globe artichokes can grow quite large, so make sure you do not plant in a space where they will take over other plants.
Sowing
- If starting from seed sow in small pots or seed modules in early spring, but this will need to be inside a greenhouse, propagator or sunny windowsill.
- Directly Sowing outdoors can take place in late spring
- Harden off seedlings for 10 days and then plant them out once the risk of frost has passed as the young seedlings are not frost hardy
- Plant out each seedling at 90cm apart and space rows 90cm apart.
90cm
Between each plant
90cm
Between each row
- My top tip when growing artichokes is to make sure you water the plant well, especially in the first year.
-Once the plant establishes the roots will run deep and watering isn't as important. It is for this reason I do not recommend growing artichokes in pots.
- Artichokes are hardy, but during a hard or prolonged frost make sure to protect with a frost fleece.
- For the best results replace plants every 4-5 years
Harvest
- During the artichoke's first year it will likely only produce a single flowerhead late in the summer.
- Established plants will do this early summer and then again in autumn
- Harvest from the size of a golf ball to when the scales start to open. If you leave the flower head long enough a beautiful purple flower will develop. While you cannot eat the artichoke at this stage the flower is rather striking and the pollinators love the purple pollen.
Varieties
- Green Globe
- Gros vert de loan
- Purple globe
- Violetto di chioggia