Growing Artichokes

[perkipods]

Hello,
My mum bought me a 'Rocket Garden' for Christmas and it will be arriving soon. One of the varieties included are 3 artichoke plants which I am excited about but as we only rent our place wanted to know if an artichoke plant will happily grow in a pot?

Ideally I would love to put it in the border at the back but at some point we will move and I am certainly not going to leave it behind! This is all working on the assumption that it doesn't die.

It will be a baby plant so I am guessing I will have to wait a few years before being able to reap the benefits.

Thanks

Clare

[Creemteez]

Hi Perkipods,
I planted some globe artichoke seeds a couple of years ago and they all came up! I had them in pots for the first year of their lives as I did not have room for them in a bed. Reading up on them, I was informed that unless they are given a substantial pot, they tend to suffer a check - which most of mine did due to lack of large pots! The one that I did get into a decent (12") pot actually produced one decent sized artichoke in it's second year.
Sadly I lost all but this one plant during the cold snap, but the survivor has not only suvived but produced babies! Two off-shoot plants which I have detatched from "Mum" and they are all now in my designated artichoke bed on my new allotment.
So, in answer to your question, yes, they will "do" in pots, but probably not produce the goods unless given enough root space, well drained soil or compost, food and of course copious amounts of water!
If you did plant it into the boarder - where it would almost certainly do better than a pot, you could, if you move, always detach a couple of off-shoots and take them with you. It's very east to do.

[bazzaboy]

Welcome to the Vine, Perkipods (the names get ever more inventive, good one! ) I wasn't familiar with "Rocket Garden" but the wonders of Google suggest an organic Cornwall "Mediterranean" selection, is that where you're based (useful info to add as latitude makes a big difference)? I agree with Creemteez (another inventive name, are you in Devon CT?). How long globes take to produce will depend upon variety (usually perennials an annual variety has been developed) but bear in mind that unless you're moving house pretty soon they only produce good edible "chokes" for a few years anyway so ideally you'll need to regularly regenerate them (seed or CT's root cuttings) or they get too tough. So your seedlings will be much better in the border than in a pot and easier to protect from winter frosts (does Cornwall have those?) which they don't like much (in Notts I grow them against south and west facing stone walls and give them a bit of straw protection over winter which seems to suffice). On any space/produce ratio they're perhaps not the best investment are they, but a) so elegant and b) hard to beat on the fun/faff count... Did you know you can make globe artichoke tea?
b.

[jacquie]

Hi, I grew these many years ago, from seed, and several of the plants produced globes in the first year, all of which I ate. Very good they were, too.
I see now, as I have just bought some seeds to have another go, that I shouldn't have cut more than perhaps one from each. Anyway, the plants all died over the winter - possibly because I overpicked them and weakened the plants, but more likely because I didn't cover them with straw as recommended. They were definitely a perennial variety, as I remembered (too late) that I was supposed to have protected them.
Jacquie

[perkipods]

Thanks for the handy tips! I am based in Birmingham so definitely cooler than sunny Cornwall.
I will take the chance of planting them in the border and see how they fare. The garden does catch quite a lot of light though it isn't very big. It's good to know I can take a few off -shoots from it if needs be to start again.
I won't know the variety of artichoke till they deliver the box of seedlings, fingers crossed they survive!

[gojiberry]

I grew some from seed and had them a couple of years. Got rid as I didn't think they earned their space and have replaced with a bed of rhubarb. They really do have a very healthy root system and it took the best part of a day to dig the roots out. I retained one plant which is shooting well already and will probably give me half a dozen globes.

Ian

[cool_hurst_2001]

have grown mime from seed this year, and have kept indoors to date. One of the seedlings is growing particularly well. This evening I have transferred into a bigger pot - cautious about not planting out for the time being. Or do people think that they will be fine - otherwise could put into an unheated patio greenhouse?

Richard