Beginner - Globe Artickhokes

lmcnabb · « **on:** September 14, 2006, 08:26 »

Hello – I am a beginner vegetable grower and I would like some help with growing green globe artichokes from seeds. I recently planted (at the same time in small propagators) seeds of courgettes, squash and globe artichokes.
Squash and courgettes are doing great – artichokes germinated but a couple of days after they formed two leaves, the leaves all turned brown and the seedlings died. Do you think this was due to my over watering them? I pulled them out of the potting mix to look at the root and the seedlings had a thick strong root.

Also – how well do seeds keep – I have bought several packets of lots of different varieties but have only planted say half of each packet. Given they are pretty cheap – should I plant them all and buy new ones each year, or is it worth keeping them…

Any help very welcome - thanks

supersprout · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:58 »

hi lmcnabb, I started growing globe artichoke from seed this year and followed advice from a number of peeps on gardening forums. So far:

Sown in modules indoors in August, some packs gave really bad germination, some good - like you lots of varieties. Don't blame yourself! Try again in Feb

You can grow them as annuals - sow in February, then stick them outdoors in a cold frame as seedlings in late March to fool them into thinking they've had a winter, then bring them back into the greenhouse in May, plant out after the last frost. You'll then get a crop in summer. If you don't get horrific frost though, it's less hassle to snuggle the plants up with straw and let them die back over winter.

Seeds will keep well, but you can't tell how prolific a plant is going to be until it's grown. The advice I had was to sow from seed, then select the strongest and most prolific plants and propagate by division in Year Three and on. I can see the difference between this year's plants already, some stonkers and some weeds! If it were me, and if you have space, I'd get all of your seeds in in Feb, then let them grow, and read up on root division for a couple of year's time!

Good luck growing globbies, I would have a field of them if only I had room. Here are the autumn sown ones being planted out last month:

James · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2006, 09:56 »

Personally I wouldn't bother using a propogator at this time of year. (I also want to know why you're germinating squash seeds at this time of year - or are you in the Southern Hemisphere?)

Sounds like damping off to me. Water with copper fungicide/cheshunt compound.

Sarah Raven had an article in the Telegraph earlier this year on growing globe artichokes, unfortunately I cannot find it online. Must have been June/July.

I grew T&Ms and had a germination rate of almost 100% of the 60ish seeds, planted in July. Some got smaller and smaller and have died; some are now jolly god plants.

You're not supposed to let them flower (produce those delicious globes) in the first year, but Raven said to let one flower form on each plant so that you can see whether it produces globe artichokes or prickly thistles! Weed out the latter. Then let the former turn into propoer plants and have globe artichokes for years.

lmcnabb · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2006, 12:51 »

Thanks very much.

Maybe I should have mentioned - I am actually in New Zealand so we are in the early throes of Spring. I am in Marlborough so the best climate possible in NZ - but still the chance of frost - hence my using a propegator - I am just trying to start them off before transplanting in about 4 weeks when frost risk is over.

Also - when I mentioned seeds I was referring to a variety of veges - (tomatoes, lettuce, zuchinni, broccoli etc) not just the artichokes.... I don;t think it's worth trying to save them when they are only $1.99 per pack, but then again I don't need 200 tomato plants!

Thanks very much again for you responses

James - what are T&M's - is that a seed variety? (again - I am in NZ so probably not familiar with UK brands...)

Heather_S · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2006, 15:48 »

T&M stands for Thompson and Morgan. They're a somewhat international seed company these days.

John has a lovely page on seed germination rates/storage times: http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetables_and_herbs/Seed_Storage_and_Life.php

Plot No 2 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2006, 21:12 »

Good evening,

My first post on this site. Hi to everyone.

I grew three plants from seeds this year. The variety is called Green Globe.

Only this week I discovered that the flowers in the first year needs to be cut off which I only did this week. Two of the plants with the flowers are really piddly little plants and the one with no flowers is going very strong.

So my recommendation would be to cut the flowers in the first year like James recommended.

Regards,

The Chap from Plot No 2.

James · « **Reply #6 on:** September 15, 2006, 15:13 »

>cut all flowers off

With the caveat that Sarah Raven recommended waiting to see how one flower on each plant develops in order to ascertain whether they are artichokes or thistles (actually cardoons).

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