Planting artichokes: Everything about cultivation & Care

Artichokes are probably the epitome of Mediterranean vegetables. But you can also plant artichokes in this country. Here you can find out what you should consider when growing artichokes in the garden and how to care for them properly.

In many ways, growing artichokes (Cynara cardunculus, syn. Cynara scolymus) is an asset to any vegetable garden. In addition to its delicious flowers, the Mediterranean plant is popular with hobby gardeners as a remedy and even as an ornamental plant. The special thing about this vegetable is that the inflorescence is eaten. The thistle-like artichoke plant is a species of the daisy family (Asteraceae), which originally comes from the Mediterranean region. In our latitudes, special conditions must therefore be observed so that cultivation can also be successful in Germany. We give you tips on how best to proceed when growing artichokes. If you want to know more about the origin of the artichoke, you can read more here.

Artichoke varieties: variety and differences

Before cultivating the heat-loving artichoke, it is advisable to look at the different varieties. The various artichoke varieties differ greatly in terms of yield, growth and frost resistance. We present the most popular artichokes in our overview.

Planting artichokes: time & location

Regardless of whether you buy the artichoke or grow it yourself - it is important to plant out at the right time so that young plants are not exposed to too much cold or even frost. You can plant artichokes outdoors from the end of April. However, we recommend playing it safe due to the cold and only planting out after the ice saints from mid-May. The planting time basically depends on the climate: Artichokes can be planted out earlier in wine-growing regions than in northern Germany, for example.

Artichokes are a Mediterranean plant. That's why it's the right locationparticularly important in our latitudes. Artichoke plants should always be in a sunny and wind-protected spot. A southern exposure and a place on a wall or house wall are ideal for warmth. When it comes to soil, the heat-loving plant is quite demanding. A nutrient-rich and deeply loosened soil offers optimal conditions for proper growth. For optimal conditions, you can improve the soil with a nutrient-rich vegetable soil such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil. Heavy clay soils are rather unsuitable and should be loosened up with compost and sand in an emergency. Basically, a larger distance between the plants should be maintained. An optimal distance is 1 x 1 meter.

You should consider this when choosing a location for artichokes:

• Full sun and sheltered location
• Nutrient-rich and loose soil
• No heavy soils such as clay or loam
• Distance of 1 x 1 meter between plants

Propagate artichokes or buy plants?

Every hobby gardener who decides to grow artichokes asks himself: buy artichokes or grow them yourself? We present both variants:

Buying artichokes as young plants is the easiest way to grow them in your own garden. You can usually buy the seedlings in garden centers from April. Depending on the variety, you can expect edible flowers in the first year. When buying, make sure that the plant is not damaged or diseased.

If you decide to take the artichoke cultivation into your own hands, the best way to do it is as follows:

1. Sowing is from February to March. The seeds are left to soak in warm water for a day.
2. After pre-soaking, 2-3 seeds are sown per seed pot. Sowing depth approx. 2 cm.
3. The pots are then covered with transparent foil and placed in a sunny location (e.g. the windowsill). But be careful: air the pots regularly to avoid getting too hot.
4. As soon as the first seedlings appear, remove the foil. This is how you prevent fungal infestation due to high humidity.
5. When the young plants reach a height of approx. 10 cm, they are transplanted into larger pots.

Caring for artichokes: tips for fertilizing and watering

The care of artichoke plants is relatively uncomplicated anddoes not require much effort except for overwintering. However, correct watering and fertilizing is important so that the flowering vegetables have enough water and nutrients available during growth.

Water the artichokes properly

Especially when the plants are young, they must be watered sufficiently. The soil around the artichoke should therefore not dry out completely. Even in summer you should water regularly. However, it is important to avoid waterlogging. However, the soil substrate is more important than the amount of irrigation water: Therefore, only plant artichokes in loose soil!

Fertilize artichokes properly

Fertilization is very important so that the artichoke can draw enough energy to develop the edible inflorescences in summer. It is best to start before planting out: prepare the bed with compost. In addition to the nutrient supply, this contributes to a better soil structure. After planting, you can help out a few times in the summer with compost or vegetable fertilizer.

Tip: Artichokes are ideal for a mixed culture in the vegetable patch. It is therefore worth planting lettuce, fennel or radishes in the space between the plants. This allows you to make the most of the space and reduce the need to remove weeds.

Summary - How to properly care for artichokes:

• Water regularly, but avoid waterlogging
• Fertilize the soil once with compost before planting out
• Fertilize several times in summer with compost or vegetable fertilizer
• In mixed cultivation with lettuce, fennel and radishes

Overwintering artichokes: How to grow them perennial

The Mediterranean plant is one of the few species in the vegetable garden that you can grow perennial. So you can save yourself the yearly new purchase or cultivation. Over the years, the plant can reach a stately height. In order for this to succeed, artichokes must be overwintered properly in our cool climate. And this is how it works:

1. After harvesting in autumn, cut the leaves and shoots down to a few centimetres.
2. Cover the plant with leaves, straw, manure and other insulating material. For good protection, this layer should be at least 20 to 30 cm thick.
3. As an alternative, you can dig up the plant including the roots in autumn and overwinter in a frost-free place (e.g. in the basement). Important istaking care to leave some soil at the root and never let it dry out completely.

Overwintering outdoors is always a bit risky in Germany. You should therefore always ensure a good cushion in winter. From April the cover can be removed again and the plant can sprout again.

Harvest artichokes

In order to use the delicious blossoms for cooking, the correct harvest time must be observed. Otherwise, it can quickly happen that the flowers turn brown or start to bloom. Basically, artichokes are harvested when the buds are still closed. The respective ripening time depends on whether the plant is growing in the first year or has already survived one or more winters. You can find more information on harvesting artichokes in our special article.

Storing and preserving artichokes

If you don't want to eat as many artichokes as you can grow in your garden, there are several options. Either leave unharvested buds until they start to flower. You can also store artichokes for later eating. We present several options:

Store artichokes in the fridge

Artichokes keep well in the fridge for a few days. To do this, place the harvested flower heads in the crisper in the refrigerator. If you want to extend the shelf life, wrap the artichoke in a damp cloth or place the flower and stem in a glass of water (similar to a flower in a vase).

Pickle artichokes

A popular way to preserve artichokes is to pickle them in oil. You can use it to prepare a Mediterranean antipasti at the same time. With this method, the fruity vegetables can be stored for several weeks.

Freeze Artichokes

Freezing is also a good way to store artichokes for a longer period of time. The artichoke heart is cooked beforehand and then placed in the freezer. This way artichokes can be kept for more than half a year and you can eat them throughout the winter.

For more vegetables suitable for perennial cultivation, see our Perennial Vegetables article.