Globe Artichokes

[Lavenderblue]

How do you know when they are ready to harvest? Mine are coming on a treat (if it wasn't for the pesky blackfly) but how do you know when the lovely chokes are ready to be scoffed? I am sorry if i appear to be artichoke obsessed but no one i know has grown them before and I don't have a clue. Thanks

[Tam]

Globe artichokes are normally harvested when they have reached their full size, but don't let them get stringy. The first and second ripening are the largest, but the later ones can be eaten. I have been given these small ones raw in salad.

[goddess]

i have grown them for few years now.you can either pick them small and cook it whole (like oned in deli's)or leave untill ust before flower opens and boil it whole and eat the leaves like french do.

[smallblueplanet]

We were shopping in a big Sainsbury's yesterday and for the 1st time ever (that I'd seen!) they were selling big globe artichokes heads. One was huge, about 5" diameter in size!

Pick them whilst the heads are still fairly tight, but well developed. If you find the original globe artichoke thread on here, there were plenty of links to vids and pictures showing you what 'picked' globies look like.

[Lavenderblue]

Thanks for that everyone - my chokes are still quite little yet. I can't wait to eat them, they are my favorite veggie.

[tootles]

How long did they take Lavenderblue? Were they from seed or cuttings?
I, too, love them and am awaiting seeds for some purple chaps. I have no idea what to do with then or how long it will be before we too are scofffing!

[Kristen]

I think that offsets from plants that exhibit good vigour is probably the best way ...
... but having stupidly not though to bring some from our old pad I have grown some from seed this year (actually they were impulse-buy plantlets from the GC I think). They are pretty sturdy plants, but I'll be surprised if they produce anything this year, and I'm half inclined not to let them if they try.

[Lavenderblue]

Well, these are from seeds and are therefore my babies. I put them in about February time this year and they have been fairly trouble free. There are some complicated rules about chilling them but I put them outside in that really really cold snap about March time and well, they are going great guns. The variety I chose is Imperial Star - they are meant to fruit(crop?) in their first season so i am going to let them. i am sure that they will over winter and become well established plants.

i fancy trying fartichokes next year - will keep my eyes peeled for tubers.

[Kristen]

"i fancy trying fartichokes next year"

I got some really fat tubers off ebay in the spring. The plants are looking pretty healthy ... so far, so good ...