Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

Artichoke

Height: 3 6–4 0 "

Width: 62 –7 2 "

Depth: 48"+

Perennial
Wat e r : Moist
Sun : Full (8 hours minimum)
Companion Planting :
pro: Asparagus, cabbage family
con: Pole beans, cucumbers, tomatoes
Pests : Aphids, plume moths, slugs, snails
Diseases : Crown fungus rot
Soil: Bloodmeal and compost before planting out
Fertilizer: Spring/autumn with Microbesoft or fi sh
emulsion every 14 days
pH: 6.0–6.8
Varieties : Green Globe (second season), Imperial Star
(180 days from seed in fi rst year)

Zones : 8–9

Planting : ¼-inch deep indoors, 10 weeks before last

frost; transplant to 6 inches apart, then thin to 4 inches

apart at 6–8 weeks. Won’t flower in first year; aft er sum­

mer harvest, prune back to 12 inches for second crop in

autumn.

Germinate: 10–14 days

Blooms : Mid-autumn (if not harvested)

Harvest: Summer; 150–180 days from seed, 50–100

days from suckers (offshoots or divisions)

Rotation: Don’t follow sunfl owers

Edible: Soft part of leaves and heart

ARTICHOKE • 67