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Growing globe artichokes...
Zoomer44
Posts: 3,267
in Fruit & veg
I'm growing them for the first time and expected the plants to be 5ft high before producing any artichokes. I've one artichoke, just a bit smaller than a tennis ball on a plant 2ft tall . Can I pick it or do they get bigger?
I've also several plants and realise now, they've been planted to close together although the others are still quite small with only one starting to produce the huge leaves. Can they easily be transplanted and when is the best time to do this?
...And how many artichokes will each plant produce, the biggest plant has a couple of side shoots with smaller artichokes developing .
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this is mine from his 2nd year, now in 4th year is 4ft tall, and same width roughly, and has three globes developing. Stunning eerie glow at twilight from the blue flower, and the bees go crazy on it! buzzing with ecstasy!
Wow. Mine are 2nd yr plants.
One, I found amoungst the weeds at the top of the plot and transplanted it, that one has produced two stems from the crown although it's looking very pale.
Bumping up...are Lizzy and I the only posters who grow globe artichokes
Gobe artichokes produce more branches as they mature each year. My plants are now 5ft high with several branches, each carrying a bud. I always pull off a few shoots from around the base each autumn and pot them on, overwintering them in a cold frame, just in case we have a bad winter. The mature plants are stunning, gorgeous foliage and wonderfull flowers which bees dive into head first, wiggling their BTMs in pleasure.
Just eaten my first one this evening. It was nice, simply done in the steamer and then steeped in butter. Next time I'll take more of the outer scales off and trim the top more.
Thanks Joyce, hadn't thought to save side shoots. The leaves are curling under on the biggest plant, should I be worried. I haven't fed them yet but am using a nettle feed this yr, they are planted in ground which was manured last September. Are they plants just happy to grow without to much TLC.
Agree about the foilage and flowerhead.
I just give my plants a good feed in early spring, anything to hand. I also trim off the lower leaves as they get damaged and die off, this helps me to keep the area under the plants clear of weeds. The leaves do seem to curl under before flatteneing out so I do not think you need to worry Zoomer. However, I would keep an eye on the under side of the leaves to check for any little bugs which may have taken a likeing to them. I haven't started cutting mine yet as they are too small, the main central bud usually grows to grapefruit size before I cut them.
When I cook my artichokes I trim the spiny tips of the scales off, and simmer the heads in boiling water for 20 mins before removing from the pan then pulling off each scasle to eat the nugget of flesh at the base, before diving into the heart below the flower head, dipping everything into melted, bad for the heart butter.
Mmmm MMmmm!