How to Care for Artichoke Plants
The artichoke is a cool weather perennial thistle plant from the sunflower family. Artichoke plants have long, arching leaves that are silver-green in color making them look like a giant fern. A mature plant reaches a height of 4 feet with a width of 6 feet. The flower buds are purple in color and will grow up to a diameter of 7 inches if not harvested. Artichokes grow best in the cool coastal regions as the weather slows the growth of the buds to produce a higher quality product. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tiller
- Compost
- Artichoke root divisions
- Water
- Mulch
- 5-10-10 fertilizer
- 10-10-10 fertilizer
- High nitrogen fertilizer
- Hand pruner
- Knife
Instructions
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Growing Artichoke Plants
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1
Prepare a garden area that gets full sun exposure and has a well draining, nutrient rich soil. The garden area must have access to water to keep the soil moist.
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2
Use a tiller to work several inches of composted manure or other nutrient rich compost into the garden soil prior to planting.
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3
Plant artichoke root divisions 6 to 8 inches deep, leaving a space of 4 to 6 feet between each plant. The best time to plant is in early spring.
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4
Water the artichokes on a regular basis after planting to keep the soil moist until the artichoke roots begin to sprout. Continue to water to prevent the soil from drying out.
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5
Apply mulch around the artichoke plants once they reach a height of 6 to 8 inches.
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6
Fertilize young plants with a 5-10-10 fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks. Fertilize mature plants in the spring with a 10-10-10 fertilizer and again in the fall with a high nitrogen fertilizer.
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7
Divide mature artichoke plants every 3 to 4 years to keep the plant production level high. One plant will produce approximately 3 to 4 root divisions.
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8
Cut plants back to the ground in the fall in warm climate areas. Cut plants to a height of 15 to 18 inches in cool climate areas. Bend the stalks and mulch around the plants for winter protection. Secure a rain proof tarp over the plants until spring. Remove the tarp and mulch in spring once the danger of frost is gone. Cut the plant off to the ground.
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9
Harvest artichokes when the flowers buds are 4 inches across but have not opened yet. Cut the buds with a knife making sure to include a portion of the edible stem.
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Tips & Warnings
Plant artichoke seeds outdoors in early spring at about the same time as the last frost.
