Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Insects love the large violet flower heads of the artichoke.
Artichokes can be overwintered outdoors by mulching heavily with leaves and soil. In areas with
winter frosts, high precipitation, and rapidly changing temperatures, plants will likely not survive the
winter. Water makes its way into the cut, hollow stems from the previous year, goes to the roots,
freezes when cold enough, and quickly leads to rot. With the roots kept dry, plants are hardy to zone 6.
Artichokes grown in hoop houses or high tunnels can survive the winter in even colder zones.
The following vegetative propagation method has been successful at Arche Noah: artichokes are
dug up in mid to late autumn and overwintered in an unheated hoop house. (Overwintering in the root
cellar was not successful.) They begin to grow again in late winter—that is, much too early for plant-
ing out. This new growth is much less hardy than the roots (and frozen shoots can lead to root death);
therefore, it is important to dig up the artichokes from the hoop house when new growth starts to ap-
pear and place them in a frost-proof site. Remove the new shoots when they are 4-6 in. (10-15 cm)
long with a sharp knife, taking care to leave a bit of the root attached; leave the two to four best shoots
on the rootstock, which can then also be separated. Plant shoots in pots and place them in a cool, frost-
proof environment. This way, you'll have many young plants that send up flower heads in their first
year.
HARVEST
Harvest artichoke heads as fuzz starts to develop in the open flower buds. Cut off entire
flower heads and hang to dry. When the stems have dried, place flower heads one at a time in a cloth
bag and break them open with a wide rubber mallet on a sturdy but pliable surface (e.g., an old futon
or mattress). The relatively heavy seeds collect at the bottom of the bag. Remove these seeds before
moving on to the next flower head to avoid damaging them.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS
• size of buds, wide shape of bud, “meatiness” of the heart or scales
• early ripeness
• uniform bud color
• vigorous growth
• resistance to frost and rot
DISEASES AND PESTS
Artichoke flower heads and fruits are highly susceptible to fungal infections:
their densely crowded pappus hairs hold water well and dry poorly, especially in late autumn.
CULTIVATION HISTORY
The artichoke comes from the eastern Mediterranean, where it has been
grown since ancient times. Introduced to Germany around 1650, it was even then an expensive delic-
