Artichoke

Light and exposure

The artichoke wants sun, plenty of it, and warmth to swell its heads properly. Give it the most open, sunniest spot in the garden, sheltered from prevailing winds, which easily flatten its large leaves and snap the flowering stems once they carry weight.

It is a bulky plant, a mature clump easily spreads a metre in every direction. Do not tuck it against a shady wall or squeeze it between other crops: it needs air to keep disease at bay and room to spread its foliage without competition.

Watering

During active growth, especially while the heads are forming, the artichoke is thirsty. Skimping on water in June and July gives small, tough heads that swell poorly. Water generously in dry spells, at the base, without wetting the heart of the foliage.

Too much water is, however, its worst enemy, especially in winter. Soil that stays waterlogged through the rains of November to February rots the crown far more reliably than cold does. Good drainage matters just as much as watering itself.

Soil and repotting

The artichoke is a heavy feeder that wants deep, rich, well worked soil. Add well rotted compost or manure at planting time, and repeat the feed every spring to support its vigorous growth.

Drainage matters just as much as richness. On heavy clay soil, common around Herve, loosen it deeply and do not hesitate to plant on a slight mound to carry winter water away from the crown.

Temperature and humidity

Depending on the variety, the artichoke tolerates frost down to minus five or minus seven degrees on perfectly drained soil. Under our climate the problem is almost never cold on its own: it is the combination of cold and standing damp that rots the crown.

A dry frost usually passes without damage on a protected plant. A mild but waterlogged winter, increasingly common around Herve, is actually more dangerous for the plant than a sharp cold snap.

Pruning and upkeep

The artichoke is not really pruned, it is thinned out. Each plant sends up several offshoots at its base: keep only three or four strong ones per plant and remove the rest, otherwise the plant exhausts itself feeding too many stems for small heads.

Harvest the heads with about ten centimetres of stem attached. Once the harvest is over for the season, gradually cut back the fading foliage, which also makes winter protection easier afterwards.

Pests and diseases

Black bean aphid is the most common pest: it colonises the heart of the young shoots and the underside of the leaves, especially in spring. A firm jet of water or soft soap is usually enough if you act early, before the colony explodes.

Slugs happily attack young plants and tender offshoots in spring. Powdery mildew can appear on the foliage in a hot, dry summer, but it is really crown rot, caused by too much winter moisture, that truly threatens the plant in our climate.

Propagation

Propagation by offsets is the method to favour: in spring, use a spade to detach a side shoot that has already rooted at the base of the mother plant, keeping a piece of the crown attached, and replant it straight into its final spot. It is quick and the new plant keeps exactly the qualities of the variety.

Sowing from seed is possible but gives uneven results, the artichoke rarely coming true from seed. It is worth trying mainly if you want to test new varieties or raise plants in bulk, knowing that some of the seedlings will disappoint.

Toxicity

The cooked flower head is harmless, including for cats and dogs: the artichoke is not among the toxic plants listed by the ASPCA. Simply avoid letting your animals chew large quantities of raw, leathery leaves, which can cause digestive upset.

Month-by-month care calendar

Green Hub tips

• Under our climate it is not cold that kills the artichoke but standing winter damp. Cut back the foliage, mound the crown and cover with a dry mulch before the hard frosts arrive.
• Harvest the heads while still tightly closed, before the scales start to spread: past that point the heart turns fibrous and far less pleasant to eat.
• To keep the qualities of your variety, propagate by offsets in spring rather than from seed, which gives uneven results.
• An artichoke plant wears out over time in our climate: plan to renew it every three to four years rather than counting on one clump lasting forever.