"Growing Artichokes"
However, if you like artichokes, you will be happy growing these wonderful plants!   Preparation:Soil must be deeply dug and rich in nutrients. Slightly acid is good too. Incorporate some well-rotted compost or manure during the season before planting. Choose a sunny postion with well drained soil. Remove any couch grass and perrenial weeds. Buy seed from your seed supplier or online at Thompson & Morgan. Check seed packets for any special instructions. For direct outdoor planting ( in warmer areas with 100 frost free days ), plant your seed 3-4 ft.(1-1.2m) apart in rows about 6ft.(2m) apart. Artichokes do take up a fair amount of space! Soil should be irrigated before planting. In cooler climates, germinate seed indoors or under glass. Ideally soil should be 70-80 degrees F. for good germination. Plant in individual pots - recyclable pots are best for transplanting into the garden at a later date. Try making your own.. it's fun and something you can get the kids involved in!
Growing artichokes -Caring for your plants:Watch out for slugs, snails and other garden pests when plants are young.Keep soil moist. Mulch in hot weather and clear mulch if weather cools down. Although growing artichokes in full sun is advised, sometimes long periods of bright sunlight can burn or damage the buds ( the edible part ) or make them tough and un-appetizing. When the sun is relentless, try and fix up a little shade over your artichoke plants for a time during the hottest part of the day. Otherwise, growing artichokes isn't hard, and although still not grown by every budding gardener, if you have the space and like artichokes, it's well worth having a go....Keep watered and weed free and you should get a bumper crop of artichokes year after year. NB: More artichokes than you can possibly eat or give away? Leave a few of the 'buds' on the plant to flower. Use the flowers in dried flower arrangements in your home Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Garden Vegetables Page Back To Flower And Garden Tips Homepage Click Here To Subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/growingartichokes.html |
