Topic: Artichoke

[Mr Smith]

I have a friend that wants me to plant an 'Artichoke'  on my lotty, is this good or bad? :)

[markfield rover]

Who gets to eat them? assuming you mean globe. I like  them to look at and eat.

[mc55]

if you have space it is a fabulous idea - the globes are delicious to eat and absolutely divine to look at - they also attract tonnes of wildlife, mine are usually crawling with bees when left to flower.  The plant should be considered a 'permanent' fixture though, as they develop pretty big roots and can grow fairly big.

If Jerulsalem artichokes, they are excellent chipped (or made into soup) and have very attractive yellow flowers, which I understand you can cut and use decoratively indoors.

[chilli queen]

Hi,
Have just bought 3 globe artichokes for £2 at wilkinsons.  I have never tasted them - glad to hear they are tasty and pretty. :)

[betula]

I put some Jerusalem Artichokes in in February.

With all the rain they have sat under water and no sign of life that is why I am now going to do the raised beds.

I understand that they like to stay around unless you get everything out.Also you have to be careful that they do not shade your other veg.Very good ornamental.

I also have been told putting it politely they have a tendency to give one wind. ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Which type of artichoke are you talking about? Jerusalems I know well; they're like 8-foot sunflowers, indestructible and a good source of winter food. Globes I haven't tried, yet, though I've bought some seed to try this year.

Betula my Jerusalems aren't showing either. Don't worry, they'll make their presence felt when they're ready.

[Suzanne]

I love globe artichokes but I have never grown them as not sure how to cok them - I like the chargrilled ones with oil and viinegar. Does anyone have a good recipie for these.  :)

Sorry to post here - know I should have started a new thread in Recipies.  :-\

[Vortex]

Globe Artichokes are related to cardoons, in fact they were an Edwardian/Victorian development from such. The bit you eat is the immature flower before it opens.
Cardoons and therefore Globe Artichokes are members of the thistle family, and are either propagated by seed or for faster maturing plants by root cuttings.
When I took over my first plot the person who had it before me, well two and a half years before me, grew them. There were 12 original plants laid out at 3ft spacing. The central root on each was a good 4" in diameter and went down at least 3ft, well that was the point at which they snapped. The side roots, most between 1/2"-1" thick spread out about a foot from the main stem. I spent the whole of last year trying to eradicate the regrowths from small slivers of root that got left behind. They are still coming up even now.
Clearing bind weed and couch grass that resembled a raffia mat was easier that getting rid of the damned things.
Just so you know what you're letting yourself in for. ;D

[Jeannine]

I agree with Vortex, really regret planting mine, I am hoping the floods did them in XX Jeannine

PS my file says I have seeds of Purple of Magnolia Globe artichokes if anyone wants them

[betula]

Which type of artichoke are you talking about? Jerusalems I know well; they're like 8-foot sunflowers, indestructible and a good source of winter food. Globes I haven't tried, yet, though I've bought some seed to try this year.

Betula my Jerusalems aren't showing either. Don't worry, they'll make their presence felt when they're ready.

Thanks Robert ;D

[Mr Smith]

Aftrer reading the above I don't think I will be planting 'Artichokes'  :)

[Barnowl]

JA's are so productive, but such a hard sell to neighbours and friends, that we always have a surplus and I decided to  reduced my JA bed by two thirds.

To be sure I'd cleared the bed I dug out the entire bed (6 x 3 ft ) down to the hard pan (luckily only about two spits) and sifted through all the soil before re-planting just four JA's in a third of it.  This took about four hours - getting out the ones that had grown out under the sides below the paths was the most time consuming bit and I still have yet to put a secure partition across the bed.

My recommendation with JA's, which despite the foregoing I really like, is to start small, box them in, and if you want more next year don't worry - you'll get them  :)

PS Am growing global (the violetta type) for the first time this year but understand they aren't as rampant.

[antipodes]

yum yum artichokes! I have two artichokes (globes) in the allotment, you can divide them up like rhubarb crowns, they grow really well but REALLY BIG!!, give them a few feet in either direction. They die back in the winter but come back bushy in spring.
This is their year of maturity so I am hoping to get some artichokes this year. My neighbour gets 6 - 8 lovely artichokes off her plant.
For those who were asking, I love them the French way - boiled or steamed then eaten lukewarm with a strong Dijon mustard vinaigrette. You pull off the leaves, nibble off the fleshy part then strip it down the heart which is divine, a bit asparagus like.
When mine start to flower I will post some pics  ;) I hope in the autumn to divide them and get some more baby plants

[Vortex]

You don't need to wait until the autumn, carefully dig around the root of the plant and expose it, you should then find you can take root cuttings. This can be done now without any harm.

[Tin Shed]

We all love the globe artichokes as a salad. I am increasing my number of plants as you and need quite a few to make a decent enough portion and might lot are all gannets :)

Pick small ones, sort of golf ball sizeor slightly smaller, trim the top and the bottom, cut in half and cook gently in olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and a bit of water until tender. The cooking liquid becomes like a lemony garlic dressing. Leave to cool if you can bear to wait!

[asbean]

We're growing a plantation of them - can't get enough  :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P