I have nine artichoke plants this year and they all seem to be doing well. No signs of aphids this year thank goodness. Most of these will end up at the community garden plot. They've had plenty of cold weather treatment this spring so hopefully they will all produce buds this year. I've yet to have an artichoke plant not produce in the first year and am keeping my fingers crossed that this streak will continue here in Vermont.
I've become an artichoke addict during the past couple of years. While the medium-sized buds I get from my plants can never compete with the enormous globes that are shipped in from California, they are indeed fresher. That being said, I will admit that I will never be a strict locavore. When they are good, those California artichokes are just too tempting to pass up.
I didn't know artichokes grew that far north. Will have to try and plant some here and see how they will grow. Do you plant fresh each year or do they regrow on their own?
ReplyDeleteWe are trying again for the third year. What types are you growing? We are trying the annual Imperial Star ones, because our green Green Globe ones never produce buds the first year and never survived the winter.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they will produce well in Burlington too. I've yet to attempt them.
ReplyDeletemine are dead - again... LOL!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with them, Thomas! :o)
ReplyDeleteI have three plants I overwintered and one of them has a bud already. The buds are indeed smaller than the commercially produce variety but I bet I could change that if I was willing to feed them constantly during their growing season. I will settle for "feed them regularly". :D
ReplyDeleteI bought a packet containing both globe artichokes and purple romana. The globes all look like yours right now but the purple romana were late in germinating and the few that did died from a little cold treatment. I trying again with new seedlings in soil blocks.
ReplyDeleteThomas, my husband is a lover of artichokes and it never occurred to me, ever, to try growing them! I thought they were too tropical for this climate. You've inspired me to try. Where do you get seeds?
ReplyDelete