Growing ARTICHOKE in zone 8

I grew artichokes for so long without ever producing an artichoke that I finally decided that either they must be chardoon, not artichokes, or that I was a real lousy artichoke grower..

Ah ah ... this is so funny !!!
I am sure I am growing artichokes. I DID start them myself from seeds.
A few months ago I was in Chile and I saw artichokes for sale at their local market: five artichokes for $1 !!!
Here in Dallas: one artichoke for $5 !

I grew up in Italy, near Venice. We have lots of artichoke. Especially the small artichoke that is purple typical from one of the islands near Venice.

I agree that artichokes are one of those vegetables that cost so much to buy in a store that you are better off growing your own, except for me because I'm "artichoke challenged". Things like home grown carrots don't taste much if any better than store bought ones so I would rather save bed space and buy them in a store. Asparagus is another relatively expensive vegetable to buy that I would like to grow my own but haven't yet.

I absolutely agree with you ... carrots take forever!!!
I also wish to have a bed dedicated to asparagus !!

I want artichokes but they are very marginal here and take up so much room. I have that much room in the shade, but not enough to dedicate in the sun, although I keep thinking about where they could go.

I remember the first time I ate an artichoke and someone showed me how... it looked so strange I was sure that I'd hate it!

I LOVE my artichokes (carciofi)! I have a friend who planted them in her front yard, in a flower bed, and they look lovely. They stay green in our mild winters and have beautiful foliage.
drthor- Dedicate a bed to asparagus (asparagi), you will not regret it. I had my first serious crop this year, on two year old plants, and they are sooo much better than store bought. Isn't everything?

Does your friend also have carciofi or just leaves?
I was born in Padova, which is just 30 minutes away from Venezia with the train.
There I had the luxury to eat artichokes all the time and very cheap.
30 minutes from Venice there is the Island of San Erasmo, where they have been grown a variety of artichoke for centuries called "Violetto di San Erasmo". It is a small purple artichoke and it is so good. Here a very interesting article:
http://theartichokeblog.com/the-artichokes-of-san-erasmo/

sweetmommy
I'd love to have a bed of asparagi one day.

Have you ever been to Venice or like we call it in Italian: Venezia?
It is hard to explain how transportation work there and it is even harden to see how everything get moved around that beautiful place.
There are no cars, so you need to transport everything by boat.
In this picture you can see how the new vegetables arrived by boat from the near by islands.
The vegetables are loaded in a little trolley operated by "one" man. He has to push that trolly up and down bridges and stairs .. and yes that it is also the way that and UPS delivery does work.

After the vegetables arrived from the nearby islands, they are beautifully display in the every-day farmers market.
The 4th picture has "fondi di carciofo" = artichokes bottoms.
The seller removed all the artichokes leaves and only the bottom is left. 10 bottoms for Euro 7 = $9 !!
This is an expensive price because this market was by Saint Marco Square ... but still good compare to the $5 they charge for ONE artichoke at my local store in Dallas.

dthor, those pictures are making me hungry. I haven't seen such lovely produce outside of my own garden since I lived in California. What we get here is a lot older and less attractive.

Part of the appeal, I think, is the reusable wood crates instead of the beds of green plastic.

drthor- I grew up in Paris and had an Italian boyfriend (Torino) for 10 years so I spent lots of time all over Italy, Venezia & Padova also. These photos bring back very fond memories. Thank you for posting them!

My friend has carciofi also but I'm not sure which type.

sweetmommy
you must be an amazing "chef" ! French and Italian cooking ... yummy !

yes ... I just checked the plants today and I have artichokes forming !!!
Now I know I can grow artichokes in Dallas yeeeeessss

Oh so cool...beening watching to see if you had any forming this year..

I am so excited !!
I don't even look at these plants ... so far they only got rain water. My sprinklers are still off since last November. They are very hardy plants !!!

My son wants to start a bed of them but I will have to do the upkeep on it..He is in the US Army in Maryland and comes home 3 or 4 times a year..he is the only one who eats them..lol..

Moodene
there is actually not to much to do, but to let them grow.
if you scroll the pictures I took since I started, the artichoke plants are kind of messy and they take a lot of space. That's why I planted all the way in the back ... also poor soil and not much watering ... go figure !!
I think from now on, the plants will multiply and make more artichokes year after year ... I hope

Finally I did harvest my artichokes and we ate them last night.
Sooooo good !

Mine died over the winter...possibly too soggy?? Not sure. Glad you enjoyed them. Is your native soil sandy? Or were your beds "well raised"?

The soil here in my garden is clay.
The artichokes were planted in a "forgotten" side of the house ... no care at all ...

Which side? The south side?

yes

Maybe I should plant some near the house. I wonder if deer like them...probably...

Very nice, dr!!!

Those look amazing! If you keep getting more each year, that will be great. I enjoyed your journey with the artichokes! I first ate these in the early 60s. We were shown how to boil them in water with a couple tablespoons of vinegar for about 1/2 hour or so. Then butter was melted and some lemon juice mixed with that. We broke off the leaves and dipped them in the butter and yummmm...I have loved eating them since...

My father was military and we were living in Germany at the time. How did you prepare them to eat?

This message was edited Jun 5, 2013 12:28 PM

I boil the artichokes in salted water until tender.
Discard the outer leaves if they are too hard.
In a deep dish prepare olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper and dip the bottom part of the artichoke.
Sometimes I also smash a boiled egg on the oil mix and yummy !!
I hope I will have more artichokes each year !

That sounds good, too!! I just had to order me some artichoke seeds to see what I can do.... :)

DrThor- My asparagi are multiplying. I can send you some tubers if you'd like. I think the best time to plant them is in the Fall though.

For the baby carciofi that form on the sides after you cut the big ones off, there is a delicious Roman salad. Pull the tough leaves off of the baby carciofi and slice the rest thinly. Slice some celery and mushrooms in with the artichokes. Shave some GOOD Parmigiana over the top. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Divino!

Oh those were incredible, but just like your garden every year, you are truly a blessed gardener who knows how to take care of the plants.

Love seeing whats going on in your garden.

Jan

I was able to buy 5 Plants and I am ready to start them soon as I plant them.

Artichokes are a perennial where I live... and they are the WORST magnet for aphids I've ever seen.

I've tried blasting them with water, soap, etc.

The aphids are being farmed by ants... so I've got an ant problem as well.

Anyone have a good ant-fighting idea? I've tried cinnamon, mustard, orange oil...

Organic remedies?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

My artichokes are coming back easily every year.
They are soo hardy !
They were outside uncovered and unprotected all winter. We did dropped down to 15F.
They are in a part of my garden that I don't even look at ... and my sprinkler system had been off for 6 months now !
It is a dream plant. I don't have any problem with aphids either.