Green Globe Artichoke seeds
Green Globe Artichoke is a popular and classic heirloom variety proven reliable yearly. It's grown for a couple of different reasons. Firstly, it is grown for their tender hearts. The leaves are delicious as well. Artichokes can be halved and grilled with seasoning, boiled, or steamed.
The base of the leaves contains tender flesh that tastes delicious in lemon butter or aioli. The heart can be made into dips, pickled, or eaten as the leaves are. The second reason to grow these perennial beauties is for the blooms. When the choke is left on the stem, it will open and produce a large bright purple fuzzy flower. When ours grow each year, the bees go crazy for the blooms! Green Globe artichoke produces 3-5 chokes per plant. These can produce runners that can be cut and propagated to create new plants. These do best on the ground but can be grown in containers, although a reasonably large-sized container is required. Smaller containers will produce smaller plants with smaller artichokes.
Seed count:10
Botanic name:
Cynara cardunculus
Plant spacing:
6-8 feet
Color:
Green foliage, olive green heads with a cream-colored heart accented with purple blush.
Sowing depth:
1/2 inch
Sun requirements:
Full sun / part shade
Utilization:
Green Globe Artichoke is prized for its tender hearts and fleshy leaves. It doubles as a powerful attractor for pollinators if left to bloom.
Frost hardy:
Yes
Maturity days:
75-80 days
Life cycle:
Perennial
Can I start indoors:
Yes
Container friendly:
Yes
Other names:
Green Artichoke and French Artichoke
Growing Instructions:
**Starting Artichokes from Seed:**
1. **Timing:** Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost in your area. For Colorado Springs, this would typically be around late February or early March.
2. **Containers and Soil:** Use seed starting trays or small pots filled with a well-draining seed starting mix.
3. **Planting:** Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep, 2-3 seeds per cell or pot.
4. **Temperature and Light:** Provide warmth for germination, ideally around 70-80°F. Use a heat mat if necessary. Once germinated, maintain temperatures around 60-70°F during the day and 50-60°F at night. Place seedlings in a sunny location or under grow lights.
5. **Thinning:** Once seedlings have a few true leaves, thin to one strong plant per cell or pot.
6. **Vernalization (Cold Treatment):** Artichokes require a period of cold temperatures (30-50°F) for several weeks to promote flowering. You can achieve this by placing seedlings in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse for a few weeks before transplanting.
7. **Hardening Off:** Gradually acclimate seedlings to outdoor conditions by placing them outside for a few hours each day, increasing the duration over a week or two.
**Transplanting and Care:**
1. **Timing:** Transplant outdoors when all danger of frost has passed and seedlings are 6-12 weeks old.
2. **Soil Preparation:** Choose a sunny location with well-drained, fertile soil. Amend the soil with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
3. **Spacing:** Plant seedlings 2-3 feet apart in rows 3-6 feet apart to allow for their mature size.
4. **Watering:** Water deeply and regularly, especially during hot weather. Avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.
5. **Fertilizing:** Artichokes are heavy feeders. Fertilize every 4-6 weeks with a balanced fertilizer or use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer like 21-0-0.
6. **Mulching:** Mulch around the plants to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and protect the soil from temperature fluctuations.
7. **Pest and Disease Control:** Monitor for aphids, slugs, snails, and other pests. Handpick pests or use organic pest control methods if necessary. Watch for fungal diseases and address them promptly.
8. **Harvesting:** Harvest artichoke buds when they are full-sized but before the bracts start to open. Cut the stem about 2-3 inches below the bud.
9. **Overwintering:** In Colorado Springs, artichokes may not survive the winter. You can try to overwinter them by heavily mulching the plants or digging them up and storing them in a cool, dark place. However, it's often easier to grow them as annuals and start new plants from seed each year.
**Additional Tips:**
* Consider growing varieties suited to your climate.
* Provide adequate support for tall plants if necessary.
* Remove side shoots to encourage larger central buds.
* Leave some buds to flower to attract pollinators.
* Enjoy your homegrown artichokes!
Remember that gardening is a learning process, and conditions can vary. Don't be afraid to experiment and adjust your techniques based on your specific environment and the needs of your plants.
