Artichoke : The Ultimate Guide

Artichoke usually comes in two variants, artichoke globe and artichoke Jerusalem. The key difference here is that the globe has a leafy side to it. Artichoke Jerusalem is the less common of the two. It goes up to about 4 feet tall. The goal when growing these is always to make sure that harvest comes before the globe blooms. It is the ball heads that are harvested and cooked. The artichoke plant is not the most resilient plant. It thrives in good fertile soil, watering and great covering during the cold winters. That being said, once you get a handle on it the resulting plant is a delight.

There are a few things that are worth knowing about the artichoke plant. These should help you make decision on when to plant, harvest and how to rear it.

ARTICHOKE GLOBE

Key Information

How to plant:

Artichoke globe plants have a lot of offshoots coming out around them. This is a great place to get rooted suckers if you need to plant them. This method is great, as you have roots already. The plant would only need to settle into the new soil. A great tip for transplanting rooted suckers is to make sure you get some of the soil with it. That way the roots are not exposed to a drastic change of condition.

Before planting, dig the soil to air it a little. This should be done around autumn time. This gives you time to get some fertiliser into the soil as well. I prefer using compost.

Dig about 2 inches deep for the rooted suckers.

Allow about 36 inches between plants. This leaves space for suckers to sprout. It also means there are more nutrients to go around.

Planting Calendar

A tip here is to make sure you beat the winter blues and make use of the summer heat. Artichoke thrives in warm conditions. In the UK we would towards the end of March and April. This is when the winter is coming to an end. Harvest time will be between July and September.

The Soil

For the best result the soil needs to be loamy and breathable (light soil). The most ideal location to grow your artichoke is a sheltered space that has access to sunshine. If the soil is too heavy, consider adding some sand to it. It is essential to have good drainage for the plant to thrive.

Caring artichoke plants

As mentioned earlier, artichoke are very delicate plants. They need to be cared for. The first part of this is to make sure that the plants are well watered from the moment you plant them. This encourages the roots to spread further. The plants will establish quicker under these conditions. Adding mulch around the stem of the plant goes a long way. You would ideally do this a month or two after planting.

As it gets warmer, keep the soil breathable. This is done by consistently digging around the plant. You can use a fork or a hoe to do this. Keep the plants hydrated, by watering consistently.

When you get to late autumn, the stems have had their best days. Cut them and provide covering for the crowns. Use leaves, plants, straw or some shading mesh.

Harvesting

You should have your first mature harvest within a year and a half of planting. Prior to this, you will see some small heads sprouting up. Cut these off. They are not what you want to harvest.

A season after you have planted, the first harvest will start. The first thing to do is to harvest the king head. This is the largest one on any given plant. You will find it green, and unopened. Always leave between 2-3 inches of the stem when you crop.

Do not stop feeding and caring for the plants after the first harvest.

The plant will be productive for about 4 years, after the first cropping. In that period, each mature plant will give you 10-12 heads.

Consumption

Artichoke can be consumed as food or as a supplemental extract.

How to cook artichokes

There are various recipes. Here is a simplified way to prepare it:

Cut the stalk and remove the outer layer with scales
Wash thoroughly
Boil in water that is lightly salted, for up to 40 minutes.
You can eat with with a dip

Artichoke leaf extract

Artichoke leaf extract is now sold as a health supplement due to its nutritional benefits, outlined below.

Artichoke benefits for health

Artichoke contains carbohydrates, fibre, protein, fat, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Zinc. [Source]

Based on these it may:

-Lower Bad cholesterol

-Blood pressure regulation

-Improved Liver function

-Improved Digestive health

-Eases symptoms of IBS

-Lower blood sugar

Varieties of Artichoke Globe

Camus de Bretagne

Very large
Great flavour
Harder to care for in colder conditions

Green Globe

Large green heads
Can be found in seeds
Not packed with flavour

Purple Globe

Slightly harder than the green globe
Not packed with flavour

Vert De Laon

The easiest one to grow.
Can be found in offshoots as well.

Common Issues

Slugs

When shoots are sprouting in spring they often become victims of slugs when in wet weather. There are various ways to deal with this issue. Slug repellent or pellets can be sprinkled around the plant.

Petal Blight

This one is somewhat rare. This is not to play down how serious it is. It is when brown spots form on the heads. These begin to spread and cover every part of the heads. This renders them useless. If you identify petal blight, the first thing to do is to remove the affected part. If this issue repeats itself, consider using dithane.

Aphid

Greenfly and blackfly may attack flower heads as they develop. Nip this in the bud. As soon as you notice it, spray it with Crop Saver.

ARTICHOKE JERUSALEM

The artichoke Jerusalem is a worthy alternative to potatoes. This is not to say they taste the same. You will often find that some people don’t like these. I have often heard the artichoke Jerusalem described as an acquired taste. The grow to just over 10ft which is an incredible height in comparison to the artichoke globe. They have a great resemblance to sunflowers. Which is where they get their name from.