Artichokes in your own garden provide you with delicious vegetables and give your garden bed an exotic flair. It's not even difficult to grow artichokes yourself! Find out here how easy it is to grow.
After the ice saints, the artichoke plants can move outdoors
Prefer artichokes
Artichoke plants are preferred in warm weather. The first year's harvest is not guaranteed, but most seed producers promise that if you sow your artichokes in February, you can harvest them that same year.
To increase germination, you should soak the seeds in lukewarm water for a few hours. Then place the seeds in potting soil and choose a warm, bright location where the seedlings can thrive until they are planted out.
Plant artichokes
At the end of May you can plant out your artichokes. The flowering vegetable comes from the warm Mediterranean region and therefore prefers sunny, warm locations without drafts. To encourage growth, you should also lift a few liters of compost under the soil before planting. Especially immediately after planting your artichokes, make sure that the soil does not dry out!
Caring for artichokes
Despite their exotic origin, artichokes are quite frugal when it comes to care: regular watering and two doses of fertilizer per year are enough to optimally support them in growth. But good winter protection after harvest is important!
Harvest artichokes
Artichokes can usually be harvested from July to September. Harvesting at the right time is essential, because once the artichoke is in the process of flowering, it can no longer be eaten. You should therefore harvest your artichoke as soon as the outer leaves splay and/or the tips of the leaves turn brown. Detailed harvest instructions can be found here.
Artichokes overwinter
Before the first frost, the artichokes are prepared for the winter. To do this, cut the flower stalks and leaves down to just above the ground and put a thick layer of sand mixed with leaves or manure, leaves and branches on the root as winter protection. Detailed instructions for wintering can be found here.
tips
Artichoke plants only flower for three to five years. Therefore, you should think about propagating your artichoke in good time. Find out how here.