Artichoke location?

[The Mama Chicken]

I'm starting globe artichokes this year but I can't decide if they should go in the vegetable garden or out along the fence line. Here in zone 8a they should be perennials, so they will need to be in an area where they won't be disturbed. I've never seen an artichoke plant. How big do thet get? How pokey are they? Will deer eat them? How about the goats? I would love to hear from someone who has successfully grown them.

 

[ninnymary]

Well mama chicken, I have not personally grown them but my neighbor, 3 houses down does. The plant is pretty big. About 3' tall and as wide. It is in full sun and she doesn't harvest the artichokes. She prefers to let them flower.

Hope this helps.

Mary

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Thanks Mary, that does help.

 

[hoodat]

Artichokes are very adaptable. They will grow in full sun or open shade but full sun is best. The part of the US where most are grown commercially is just north of San Francisco in an area that has heavy fog most nights. They have huge flower buds there. The flower buds are ,of course, the part that is harvested although when young the stems can be peeled and eaten. That part is much like the artichoke hearts.
Unfortunately, in spite of the thorns, they are deer candy and will also be eaten by rabbits, squirrels and woodchucks. They are essentially a cultivated type of thistle.

 

[thistlebloom]

They are essentially a cultivated type of thistle.

Yep! Like me!

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Artichokes are very adaptable. They will grow in full sun or open shade but full sun is best. The part of the US where most are grown commercially is just north of San Francisco in an area that has heavy fog most nights. They have huge flower buds there. The flower buds are ,of course, the part that is harvested although when young the stems can be peeled and eaten. That part is much like the artichoke hearts.
Unfortunately, in spite of the thorns, they are deer candy and will also be eaten by rabbits, squirrels and woodchucks. They are essentially a cultivated type of thistle.

I have plenty of sun, that shouldn't be a problem. My husband is excited about the "deer candy" comment, as we didn't see a single deer on the property during this hunting season. He says he's going to plant a big patch down by the creek (his shooting spot) to attract them.

 

[hoodat]

Tell him if he really want to attract deer plant field pea vines (blackeye peas and the like) and let them climb all over the brush. Deer can small those a long way off and get so distracted picking them out of the brush you can really get close.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Tell him if he really want to attract deer plant field pea vines (blackeye peas and the like) and let them climb all over the brush. Deer can small those a long way off and get so distracted picking them out of the brush you can really get close.

Will do, thanks. He was so dissapointed that he didn't bag a deer this season. So was I, I love braised venison wirh onions.

 

[catjac1975]

I have grown them in zone 5 and have gotten some fruit. I grow it as an annual. My fruiting is hit or miss because I am way out of the zone for them. I have not been able to over winter them with much success even with lots of mulch though I have read that you can. It is not worth it for me I just do it for the fun of it. They are a beautiful plant and would not hesitate to grow it in a front yard for their beauty.I dried the plant once and it gave me a beautiful dried arrangement.