Globe artichokes

[SQWIB]

I posted this earlier but it seems to have disappeared.
Anyone try growing globe artichokes as a perennial in zone 7 or colder.

[rainbowgardener]

I'm in zone 7. I did plant an artichoke plant this spring, but I don't know if it made it/ will make it through winter. Let you know next spring...

[imafan26]

I planted artichokes a few years ago, from seed some if them will be thistles. It is a very big plant. They are perennial in warm climates. I don't know how frost hardy they are.

[applestar]

I keep wanting to try growing them but haven’t yet. My understanding is I would have to keep them in the garage over the winter. Trying to remember if they needed to be started in fall for this....

There is one (or more) variety that is supposed to be able to grow to harvest in one season however. I would have to look it up — maybe Emerald something? Imperial something?

[applestar]

Ah. Here’s my inspiration :

Subject: Artichoke (Tavor)... 10 Degrees for 10 Days ???

I love eating artichokes but have yet to try growing them.
I was going to try based on this post by grrlgeek, but didn't get the chance. Maybe for next year....

So I can't answer your question, but maybe you will find this interesting?

Subject: First Harvest of Spring - Coolest thing I've ever grown!

@webmaster - thank you!

@lakngulf - truer words were never spoken!


@applestar - I bet you could! I think you can dig them up in the fall too, because culture information I've been reading says to divide them when they're nearing the end of their productive years. In the winter I only watered maybe once a week, and just a splash or three. They just sat there, not growing, waiting. The spot they were in got only a few hours of direct sun as well. Here's the seed packet info:


Emerald produces a thornlesss, glossy, buttery flavored artichoke for home gardeners, that can also be used in landscaping. Heads are globe in shape, achieve large size and have wonderful eating quality of the inner artichoke hearts. Emerald is a good source of vitamins A, B, and C. Also a source of potassium, sodium, protein and iodine. Produces quality artichokes over a longer period. Can be used in a variety of recipes. 180-360 days to harvest.

Start seeds indoors in a sunny location 6 weeks prior to warm weather. Transplant outdoors when seedlings display 4-6 leaves and weather is warm.. Seed can be direct-sown when soil is warm.. Thin or transplant when plants have 4-6 leaves. Although heads can be harvested the first year, it is advised that the plants be cut back to allow for greater yields during the following years. Emerald should overwinter well and will produce artichokes to eat in the spring. PVP.

From the breeder's website, http://www.emeraldartichoke.com/emerald.html (which seems to be no longer up and running)

---by Eleanor Kurupas, wife of Tom Kurupas, owners of Kurupas Enterprises---

"Our artichoke experience began over 24 years ago in our orchard when we were given a few plants that were thorny and irregular in size and shape, but were acclimated to our desert temperatures. Every spring Tom gave strict orders not to cut any artichokes to eat. He was going to play "Mother Nature" and cross pollinate plants that had the desired traits we were looking for. A few years later, we extended our planting to 3 acres with seed from selected hand pollinated artichoke flowers. In the selection of our Emerald Artichoke, what we looked for were artichokes that were, thornless, glossy, flavorful and prolific; also we wanted artichokes that could withstand a certain amount of cold weather. Many people who enjoy the Emerald Artichoke encouraged us to seek a plant variety patent from the USDA office. In 1992 we received our patent. As a family, we are offering home growers and ornamental growers the opportunity to grow our artichoke. We are finding out that artichokes can be grown in many areas first thought impossible."

Let us know if you decide to add artichoke to your winter menagerie!

[SQWIB]

I was going to try the Green Globe Artichokes from Rare Seeds.com
but after a bit of research decided on the " Imperial Star" from Johnny's Seeds
Worse case scenario, if I can't get these to grow as a perrennial and overwinter they can be grown as an annual and harvested after 80-90 days

For The Green Globe Artichokes and Depending where you look zones are different, burpee says 8-9
Seedsavers says 7+
Territorial Seed Company says 7+
Monrovia says 6-11
But you never know what strain it is, I think it should be a law that they are required to give the scientific name when selling seeds.

Like this,
Genus: Cynara
Species: scolymus
Variety: "Imperial Star"

Most sites agree on zones 7 and above with hotter climates being too hot in the summer for the Green Globe.

I have read a few ways to overwinter for my zone
#1 Dig up in the fall, not happening
#2 After the last harvest in the fall, cut the plants down to about 12 - 18 inches. Cover the plant with organic mulch, like straw, leaves, or even compost and then cover that with a large basket. Mound another layer of straw or leaves over the basket and cover everything with a waterproof tarp. This I can do.


Johnny's Seeds worth mentioning, "Imperial Star" - widely adaptable, easy to grow from seed and bred to be grown as an annual. ‛Imperial Star' is the variety recommended for gardeners in Zones 6 and colder

[Gary350]

I am not motivated to grow artichoke because I have never eaten 1 that taste good. They seem to be too much work to eat for something that is probably a total of 2 bites of food. If someone could prove there is a good way to cook artichoke that makes them taste good I might want to grow them in my garden. Am I wrong??? Wife & I were looking at Artichoke at the store yesterday we have no clue how to cook it or make it taste good?

I never liked pears or pineapples from the grocery store until someone showed me how to make them get ripe before eating them.

[rainbowgardener]

I still don't know if the one artichoke I planted last year made it through winter or not. Winter is short here, but we did have most of two weeks with nights down in the teens. (On Wed Jan 17, I cancelled a committee meeting I was in charge of, because the afternoon high temperature counting in windchill was about 15 and roads were icy. We rescheduled to the following week, Wed Jan 24 at which point it was 55 degrees and sunny. Weather is a little strange around here!)

In the meantime I have some green globe artichoke seeds planted....

All I have ever done to cook artichokes is steam them. Put an inch of water in a pan and put the artichokes in a steamer basket. Put a tight lid on and steam them twenty minutes or so until the leaves pull off easily. Dip each leaf base in lemon butter or mayonnaise or whatever sauce you like and pull the tender part off. But what people especially eat them for is the artichoke heart that is left when you have pulled all the leaves off. Scrape off the fuzzy prickly "choke" part and cut the heart in pieces and eat them with your sauce. The leaf bases and the heart together are a lot more than two bites.

[Gary350]

I still don't know if the one artichoke I planted last year made it through winter or not. Winter is short here, but we did have most of two weeks with nights down in the teens. (On Wed Jan 17, I cancelled a committee meeting I was in charge of, because the afternoon high temperature counting in windchill was about 15 and roads were icy. We rescheduled to the following week, Wed Jan 24 at which point it was 55 degrees and sunny. Weather is a little strange around here!)

In the meantime I have some green globe artichoke seeds planted....

All I have ever done to cook artichokes is steam them. Put an inch of water in a pan and put the artichokes in a steamer basket. Put a tight lid on and steam them twenty minutes or so until the leaves pull off easily. Dip each leaf base in lemon butter or mayonnaise or whatever sauce you like and pull the tender part off. But what people especially eat them for is the artichoke heart that is left when you have pulled all the leaves off. Scrape off the fuzzy prickly "choke" part and cut the heart in pieces and eat them with your sauce. The leaf bases and the heart together are a lot more than two bites.

The only part of the artichoke I ever ate was the leaves. Pull off the leaves, scrap leaves with your teeth then throw the leaves and center away. My aunt had an artichoke 40 years ago someone at work said it is good and this is how you eat it. It was not good and she never ate it again. We had artichoke at a friends house once, at relatives once, everyone ate it the same way scrap leaves with your teeth then throw the rest away. How many people are eating artichoke wrong? LOL.

[rainbowgardener]

The artichoke heart is the best part, what people actually eat the artichoke for. The leaves are much better with butter or something. Course that also adds a lot of calories ....

[applestar]

Yeah, on the smaller flower buds, the “leaves” are not meaty enough to be worth the trouble. That’s the part I’m most concerned about growing my own — I’m going to be a bit more heavy-handed about fertilizing. I decided to try one that other members are not growing, so I ordered Emerald seeds from Territorial and will start them as soon as they arrive. Their growing instructions are worth studying.

We can compare at the end of the season.

[applestar]

Got my Emerald F1 seeds + other stuff. I’ll Start them tomorrow if I can get it done in the am.

From the front of the packet:

Thornless, meaty and astoundingly productive. Glossy, deep green, oval-shaped buds 5 inches across and 4 inches long have delicious leaves and a full heart. Robust, upright plants. Hardy to zone 7.

From the back of the packet:

Sowing Indoors—Start seeds in 4 inch pots in late January or early February. Transplant out 8 weeks
later when soil has warmed. Due to genetic make- up, about 20% of artichoke plants from seed will be
useless, so cull (pick out) smaller and albino plants at the time of transplanting.
Sowing Outdoors—Not recommended.

[SQWIB]

Are you gonna do the 10 days of 40 degree weather to promote first year flowering?

Interesting info here.


.

[SQWIB]

I am not motivated to grow artichoke because I have never eaten 1 that taste good. They seem to be too much work to eat for something that is probably a total of 2 bites of food. If someone could prove there is a good way to cook artichoke that makes them taste good I might want to grow them in my garden. Am I wrong??? Wife & I were looking at Artichoke at the store yesterday we have no clue how to cook it or make it taste good?

I never liked pears or pineapples from the grocery store until someone showed me how to make them get ripe before eating them.

Here are two incredible tasty reasons why I want to grow them...

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

• 1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
• 1 1/2 cups thawed, chopped frozen artichoke hearts
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Boil spinach and artichokes in 1 cup of water until tender and drain. Discard liquid. Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft. Stir in rest of ingredients and serve hot.


Chicken Breast Cutlets with Artichokes and Capers

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat or white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins or strips
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 (12 ounce) jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts, with liquid
• 1/4 cup capers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Combine flour, salt, and white and black peppers. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and shake off excess.
1. Heat canola oil and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides, and no longer pink on the inside; set aside.
2. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the caramelized bits. Add artichoke hearts and capers, return to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half.
3. Whisk butter into sauce until melted. Place cooked chicken back into pan, and simmer in the sauce for a few minutes to reheat. Serve on a platter sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.

[applestar]

Thanks for the link @SQWIB. Yeah I read about that too. So, the way I figure it,

• I plant potatoes around last week of March (often a tad too early) to first week of April. Potatoes are supposed to be planted when the soil has warmed to 50-55°F.
• My last frost is around last week of April, and I know from past experience that if I try to plant tomatoes right away, they end up suffering from being exposed to several days of daytime high in the 40’s, but I wouldn’t count on the cold snap lasting for continuous 10 days by this time... and it’s just as likely to occasionally get as high as high 70’s.

...so, I’m thinking if I can get the artichoke seedlings hardened off, and in the ground for 10+ days in the timeframe bracketed between those two gardening milestones, it should be about right.


...and thank you for the recipes!

[applestar]

I started mine like this since I don’t/won’t have room for starting them in 4” pots from the outset. They need 65-75°F soil temp, so I added the strip heating mat. Hopefully that will be enough, combined with a little boost from the CFL bulb during the day... I might put the thermostat on the heating mat... I’ll have to retrieve it from the upstair seed starting area.

[SQWIB]

Yeah, on the smaller flower buds, the “leaves” are not meaty enough to be worth the trouble. That’s the part I’m most concerned about growing my own — I’m going to be a bit more heavy-handed about fertilizing. I decided to try one that other members are not growing, so I ordered Emerald seeds from Territorial and will start them as soon as they arrive. Their growing instructions are worth studying.

We can compare at the end of the season.

Sounds good
I'll be trying "Imperial Star" and "Green Globe", I think the Green Globe is one of the most popular varieties grown

[applestar]

Looking forward to your reports

I checked the soil temp this morning at it was only 68°F so I plugged the heating mat into a thermostat. Checked it again just now, and it’s holding at 72.5-73.5°F

[applestar]

Artichokes are starting to sprout.

[rainbowgardener]

mine too!