Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi all.bought some artichoke plants from wilko yesterday(looks like recently dug up and coverd with peat in a bag)
it had three roots with the suckers attached to it.has anyone tried buying it this way? and what is the best way to plant it as it has a very tiny root system?any advice appreciated.g

For the moment plant them in decent sized pots with good compost and keep them frost free, soon they will establish themself and ready to plant to their permanent place. What they sell really are the suckers ( this is the reason of little roots) which you will get year after year after the plant is established and you can have an unlimited supply of plants just like cardoons. Look after the roots in order to keep them frost free and I can assure you that you won't need to buy anymore artichokes plants or seeds unless you like a different variety, they are also extremely easy to grow from seeds. What did and still upset me where my allotment is situated is the wastage of unusual edible vegetables including artichokes only because people do not know what to do with them expecially regarding preparation and cooking and afraid to ask for advice. Sharing experience and knowledge is one of the secrets of happiness.
Don Vincenzo

Thanks alot DV for that advice.i love artichoke and planing to devote a whole bed in my recently aquired half allotment to grow them.the ones on sale are too big and shrivelled never mind the cost .As for the seeds ,i bought a packet of ramenesco artichoke and can't wait to sow them!since it sounds they grow well from seeds for you ,when do you think is the right time to saw?and ill they crop first year(sorry iam not greedy but impatient) your advice awaited eagerly.g

I grow romanesco. Just follow the instructions on the packet or you can start them now indoors in a heated bed and them transplant them gradually to bigger pots and then plant them out to their situ. Do not harvest any artichokes in their first year.
regards
don Vincenzo

Great,will do just that.
Goddess

Hi - do you mean Jerusalem artichokes or globe artichokes. I grew Jerusalem artichokes from a couple of tubers I picked up in Waitrose (they were reduced) - I have had a crop every year for about the last 4 years - I roast them, have mader crisps, mashed them and made soup - they are a 'good value' crop. Regards Bel

thanks bel,it's the globe artichichokes i was talking about.thought about growing the other but lots of discouraging comments from fellow gardners!!g