E-276 04-11

Easy Gardening artichoke • artichoke • artichoke • articho

Joseph Masabni, Assistant Professor and Extension Horticulturist; and Patrick Lillard, Extension Assistant, The Texas A&M System

he artichoke, a member of the this - gar deners, including: tle family, has been cultivated and • Green Globe (standard variety) Tenjoyed since the time of the Ro - • Imperial Star (less vigorous than mans. Artichoke is both a nutritious veg - Green Globe) etable and a beautiful landscape plant. • Harmony Plants can reach 3 feet in height and • Madrigal width, and the flower, if allowed to bloom, • Emerald can be 7 inches in diameter. • Grand Beurre • Talpiot Soil preparation • Purple Sicilian (purple globe) Emerald is about 2 weeks earlier than Globe artichoke produces best in Imperial Star and appears to need little, if deep, fertile, well-drained soil, but will any, vernalization (chilling). Emerald, grow in a wide range of soils. The plant’s Grand Beurre, Talpiot and Purple Sicilian deep roots need relatively deep soils with are all grown from seed. The Purple Sicilian adequate volume for root development. variety is fairly tolerant of heat and cold. Sandy soils with excessive drainage should be avoided. Seed preparation Although artichokes are moderately salt tolerant, soil with a high salt content Plan before fall planting because it will reduce their growth and yield. can take up to 60 days before plants are of suitable size for planting outside. In Cen - Varieties tral Texas, artichoke is transplanted in mid- Several varieties work well for Texas October, which means seeds must be started in mid-August. In North and West -1- Texas, start seeds a few weeks earlier. grow slowly in the fall and winter (October Seeds can easily be started in a green - through January), but in early spring arti - house, in a shady spot outside in late sum - choke plants will rapidly increase in size. mer, or indoors under a grow light. Plant Artichoke should be planted in a well- the seeds ¼ inch deep in potting mix drained soil and mulched well to help when the temperature doesn’t exceed 85 reduce weeds and conserve soil moisture. degrees F. Water seeds regularly and shade them from the hot afternoon sun. Care during the season Do not expose artichokes to tempera - Fertilizing tures below 25 degrees F in the winter. If Artichokes grow well when fertilized there is a threat of frost, cover plants with regularly. It is best to have your soil tested a 6-inch layer of straw mulch, leaves, a and amend the soil according to the test bucket or frost blanket, or some other form results and recommendations. If a soil test of frost protection. is not done, follow these general recom - A hot, dry climate causes artichoke mendations: buds to open quickly and destroys the ten - • If manure is available, mix 100 to derness of the edible parts. In the summer, 140 pounds of composted manure irrigation will help keep temperatures per 100 square feet into the soil be - down in the crop canopy to prevent bud fore planting. opening.

• Phosphorus and potash are best applied before planting and should Watering also be worked in. Apply about Adult Artichokes are deep-rooted and re -

0.25 pound of P 205 and 0.25 pound quire adequate moisture when growing

of K 2O per 100 square feet. and producing fruit. Moisture stress may result in black tip, which is only cosmetic • Artichokes require about 0.1 pound damage because the edible portion of the of nitrogen (N) per 100 square feet. bud is not affected. Black tip is most com - Work it into the soil before plant - mon when conditions are sunny, warm ing, and apply an additional 0.3 and windy. pound per 100 square feet 6 to 8 weeks later. Diseases • Foliar applications of a liquid fertil - Powdery mildew, Verticillium wilt, izer containing calcium and zinc and botrytis rot are common during rainy are recommended every 2 weeks weather. Curly dwarf virus and bacterial during active growth in early crown rot are other artichoke diseases. spring. Leave plenty of space between plants to reduce the chance of diseases becoming a Planting problem. If you have trouble with diseases, Transplant seedlings 2½ to 3 feet ask your county Extension agent about dis - apart in rows 3 to 4 feet apart. Transplants ease control.

-2- Artichokes are susceptible to root rot, Harvesting so do not let the soil become too wet. A healthy plant should produce six to Insects nine buds per plant. The main harvest usu - ally occurs in April and May. Select buds for their size, com - Name and description Control pactness and age. All buds of Larva: Pale yellow or • sanitation suitable size should be har - green, 0.04 to 0.06 inch • Bt vested by cutting the stem 2 to long. Adult: buff to brownish buff with a 3 inches below the base of the wingspan of ¾ to 1¼ bud. Old stems should be re - Plume moth inches. moved as soon as all buds have

1 been harvested to allow new Soft-bodied; ⁄8 inch long; • malathion green, pink, red, brown • garlic juice extract stems to grow. or powdery blue; usually • neem oil on undersides of leaves; • pyrethrins suck plant juices; may be • azadirachtin Serving covered with a fine Aphid whitish wax. Artichoke is a great source of fiber and can be steamed, 1 • Prevent its intro- Adults are ⁄3 inch long, boiled or microwaved. The edi - duction by using brown to black, and may ble parts include the flesh of appear between June and clean transplants. September. the base of the leaves and the Cribrate weevil heart of the flower. Rinse larvae leaves and cut off the sharp Barely visible to the naked • beneficial insects tips, about ¼ inch, before eye; spiderlike; suck juice • strong blasts of cooking. Ask your county Ex - from undersides of leaves; water tension agent for more infor - leaves lose color; may • insecticidal soaps form tiny webs. • neem oil mation on preparing and serving artichoke. Spider mites

The artichoke plume and cribrate weevil larvae photos are courtesy of Jack Cleanup Kelly Clark, University of California Statewide IPM Program. Artichoke is a perennial plant so once the harvest is done in June, cut the plant Weeds back to soil level. This will put the plant crown into a dormant stage during the Mulching artichokes will reduce summer. The plant will send out shoots in weeds and conserve soil moisture. It is the fall. The new shoots can be dug out to important to remove weeds when be replanted into a new location in the artichokes are small because the plants are garden or left in place to produce another most susceptible to weed competition at year. Make sure you leave only the most this stage. Large, fully developed artichoke vigorous shoot on the old plant for pro - plants compete well with weeds. duction next spring.

-3- Information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service is implied.

Produced by AgriLife Communications, The Texas A&M System Extension publications can be found on the Web at: http://AgriLifebookstore.org. Visit the Texas AgriLife Extension Service at http://AgriLifeExtension.tamu.edu.

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as amended, and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Edward G. Smith, Director, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System. New -4-