Re: [gardeners] Artichokes
Margaret Lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 17 Jan 1998 10:46:43 -0700
At 10:35 AM 1/17/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Mother has been wanting to try artichokes from seed. I've never done
>it....have always figured the only places they'd actually produce
>edible fruit is California-type climates. Fredericksburg, Texas is
>USDA 8a; soil is highly alkaline and thin. No problem with humidity
>and reasonable amount of rainfall. *Very* hot summers....but dry and
>cool at night. Freezes are never deep. Winter is counted in days, not
>even weeks when it comes down to it, so I figure a deep mulch would
>protect over winter.
>
>Nobody grows them locally, but I'm learning that is not always an
>good indicator. The palette of things that do really well here is
>narrow, but not as narrow as people tend to think, I'm becoming
>convinced. Either that, or I am trying to talk myself into thinking
>that a soil pH of 7.8 is really not so horrible if I end up moving
>here to live year round!
>
>Suggestions, admonitions, warnings, and advice appreciated.
>
>Catharine, normally in Atlanta; visiting in Texas Hill Country.
>
Well, and why not? It's always fun to try new things. Even here in
alkaline soil Idaho I grew artichokes last year. Yep, I did. My plant
produced two artichokes, one of them one inch across by one inch high, and
the other one smaller. I'm strongly suspicious they wanted more fertilizer
than I gave them. What do you think? I saw one at Albertsons yesterday
that was dinner plate sized. As tight-fisted as I am, I was and am sorely
tempted to pay $3 for one that size. Margaret