Description
Green Globe Improved Artichoke Seeds 1105. Heirloom Vegetable.
Approx. 20 seeds/pkt (20 seeds/gram)
First year artichokes are small & few in number but can still be suitable for harvest. Higher quality artichokes develop in the second and third years – therein lies the gardener’s greatest challenge. Artichokes will not survive winter in most areas of Canada! We suggest digging up and overwintering dormant roots in a cool area indoors if you do want to try for a second year harvest. “Green Globe” has deep green buds with a slight purple tinge. The artichoke flowers are best harvested when 5-9 cm in diameter. The fleshy base of the flower scales and the firm center are the edible portions. Plants can reach 1.5 m in height in one year. Artichoke is a tender perennial hardy from zone 7 up.
How to Grow
Start seed indoors in a soil-less mix 8-12 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Sow the seed 6 mm deep and germinate at 21-26°C. When seedlings are 2.5-5 cm high transplant to individual 10 cm pots and grow on at 15-21 C. Harden off and transplant to the garden after the threat of frost has passed. Artichoke does best in full sun with a deep, organic, fertile soil. Space plants 60-90 cm apart in the row with rows 1.75 m apart. Keep plants evenly watered and mulch the soil to help preserve soil moisture and keep the soil from becoming too warm in summer – if the soil does become too warm, it can trigger a summer dormant period. Start with a thin layer of mulch and build it up to 10 cm thick as the plants grow. Germination occurs in 10-15 days.
Photo by Magpi-Moon under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.
