harvesting artichoke

[tilts]

I have a number of globe artichokes all doing their thing & producing globes, a couple are the size of grapefruit, some amongst others are tennis ball size, having never eaten them let alone grow them  i need to know when to harvest.  Can anyone help ???

[tilts]

[derbex]

If they're the size of grapefruit, they're probably ready! When the bud starts to open and look 'looser' out it's time.

Jeremy

[Mrs Ava]

Cut my first at the weekend, about grapefruit size.  I reakon it could have grown on a bit as there was absolutely no choke!  Ate the lot!!  With lashings of butter!!!  Loads of side shoots coming - do I understand correctly that they will be smaller??

[chriszog]

Yes they will be smaller but just as tasty.
Enjoy
Chriszog

[Diana]

Are artichokes hardy?

Will they survive a Scottish winter?

Thinking for getting a couple of plants next year, but didn't want to waste money.

Also, do they grow off-shoots for propergation?

[Bambi.1]

Mmmmm, you are lucky all of you growing Artichokes,my favourite with home-made hollandaise sauce  ;D

Is it easy to grow ?


BTW,l will put the home-made hollandaise sauce in the recipe section,as it's worth making it,nothing like the jar stuff......yuk!

[Doris_Pinks]

One of those plants I keep saying I must get some of as we adore artichokes! Must put them on the list for next year......but where would they go?????!!

[Mrs Ava]

That's the problem DP, they are permanent residents!

I think they are quite hardy, but you can protect the crowns with straw - I didn't, but my part of sunny Essex is warm and incredibly dry.

[wardy]

My globe has been in my flowerbed for about 5 years and I don't do anything to it except remove scruffy leaves from the base in spring.  It's going great guns.  I'm in North Derbyshire  :)

[ptennisnet]

We have a book that told us to cut them down in autumn and cover with straw.  We did this and only one out of two survived until spring  :(   That one seems to be well behind yours as there are no signs of any chokes whatsoever.  We won't be cutting them down again...

On the plus side, we've got four from seed ready to go out soon  :)

[tilts]

I took over my allotment on the south coast approx 1 mile from the sea! at the beginning of the year and the artichokes were about 1.5 feet high then, showing no signs of having been cut down.  I must have about 10 plants, one or two are rather large, but they are all in production and have been on the plot for some years.  They obviously enjoy the south westerlies and sunshine.  I have read that they need to be 'thinned out' during the spring which I will need to do as they are taking over. I have never even eaten one before so am checking out recipes, I did see someone in France pick off the outer bits and dip into mayo, but don't know if they were cooked, any ideas gratefully received!

[ptennisnet]

Boil and then pull apart and dip in salad dressing.  Just gets better and better until you get to the choke

I hope ours does it's bit this year as we only got a couple of small 'uns from it last year (its first)

[wardy]

ptennisnet    Mine was grown from seed and I'm dead proud of it.  It looks as good as ever.  I wonder how long they live or are productive?  Here is a pic

[ptennisnet]

That looks fantastic...so much better than ours.  I'm going to give ours a good talking to when we go down the allotment this weekend

[Yuet_Lee]

I was thinking to cut mine this weekend. After I red all your post said it size of a grapfriut. So I will hang on for a bit. But I thought it ready ???It is not?
yuet

[Mrs Ava]

Mine was a little bigger than that Yuet, and it was delicious and as it was still on the small side, we mum and I were able to eat the lot! No choke!!  Very sweet and hardly any waste.  If you want it, cut it and enjoy it!  ;D