Artichokes in Massachusetts

[catjac1975]

That's what kept happening to mine. Good luck this time.Damn if I can remember what I did differently this time. I did grow them a long time indoors on bottom heat.

 

[catjac1975]

I had an artichoke plant once. . .

DH dug it out (pot and all) thinking it was a weed. Since I had already told him it was something I had planted, I have to presume DH was not a good listener.

They are such a lovely plant foliage. I dried the leaves upside down one year and they were quite lovely.

 

[catjac1975]

Cat, how big are the plants? For instance, how many plants would fit in a 4' x 4' raised bed?
jackb

1 0r 2 for good spacing. They are heavy feeders. I also envision 4 in that space looking great -Don't know about the yield that close. I will take photos once the rug rats go home. I think they might be susceptible to fungus gnats when they are indoors. They seem to flourish for a long while and then die.

 

[bobm]

I planted 2 plants at our ranch ... we ate artichokes daily for all the spring months and gave away grocery bags full to friends and neighbors. I cut them back to the ground in the winter and they grew back with a vengence. Aphids attack them so bad that the choke stems are one crawling mass with them.

 

[catjac1975]

Aphids are pretty easy to control with a multitude of organic products. Mine would never over winter. So starting fresh will keep pests and disease at bay. I would love to have bags full of them to eat and give away. Once I covered one with hay bales and it lived through the winter. It shriveled up and died after that.

 

[baymule]

Artichokes? I have eaten them before, but never tried to grow them. I might have to look into that....

 

[Nyboy]

when it comes to artichokes I always think of this !

 

[Smart Red]

Artichokes always remind me of the headline I saw in the paper one day. It seems that a young man was trying to get started as a hit man so he took a contract at ridiculously low pay.

After stalking the trio for several days he got his chance at the grocery store early one morning. The headline read, "Arti chokes three for a dollar at Whole Foods."

 

[catjac1975]

I remembered to finally take this photo, but, forgot to pick this beauty for my dinner. I guess I will have it tomorrow.

 

[catjac1975]