Globe artichokes

[caroline7758]

Is it time to cut down the stems, and do they need protection over winter? They are in their first year from seed and still producing buds, though not big enough to eat  (we had a few big ones earlier). Of the three plants I've got, one has not produced any buds this year. Do you think it will catch up next year? (And yes, I know some schools of thought say i shouldn't have cut any this year and should have removed the flowerheads!)

[caroline7758]

[artichoke]

My experience of growing artichokes for many years is that now is the time to cut away the dead flower stalks, being careful not to damage the new shoots coming up from their base.

Also that cutting the buds to eat from young plants is fine. Leaving them to flower and use up energy to set seed might have been a mistake. They are not like strawberries and other fruit - we eat the buds at a young stage, which is actually pruning them so that they don't set fruit.

I have lost some young plants over winter. The large older ones seem to hold their own provided they are not sitting in a swamp.

[triffid]

What about sowing times, artichoke? Any advice, please?

[supersprout]

Artichoke seed sown in July/August here seem to be doing real well, subject to overwintering. If you have seed, I'd probably leave sowing until Feb or March now :)

[triffid]

Hello SS! Having (or had?) a good weekend?

And thank you for the help... must move seed packet into the March file so I remember! ::)

[artichoke]

I agree. Spring is best for sowing artichoke seeds.

[cleo]

(And yes, I know some schools of thought say i shouldn't have cut any this year and should have removed the flowerheads!)

Off with their heads,unless you feed them cake of course?