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Vegetable Gardening

Over wintering artichokes

14 years ago

Hi,

I cut my artichokes down and piled on lots of soil to overwinter them, but two of them refuse to stay buried until spring,should I let them grow,or should I cut them back again and bury them deeper ??? It is way too early for them to already be growing back....they just don't know any better ;-)

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Comments (5)

denninmi
14 years ago
Not sure where you are, what climate, but my opinion is that I would heap a lot more mulch over the top of them to try to keep them buried. Wouldn't want the cold getting down into the crown. I'd also try to put a board over them to shed water, since it's wet cold that will do them in as much as anything.
jonhughes
Original Author
14 years ago
Southern Oregon
I was just wondering if you knew it wouldn't hurt the artichokes to cut the back again, before I cover them up again.... Don't want to hurt my babies (they are wonderful producers ;-)
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skagit_goat_man_
14 years ago
In a zone 7 I just cut them back and did not cover them. The Green Globe and Imperial Star sent up new plants every year. Tom
jonhughes
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Goat Man,
I have grown these pups for 2 years and they are wonderful
Usually after I cut them down and heavily mulch over them they stay buried until Spring, but they are all (at first I thought just two of them, but all four are) popping up new growth already, so you don't think the cold weather to come is going to kill them, yours are sprouting already too ????
bejay9_10
14 years ago
This is my first artichoke attempt. Last month, I started 3 or 4 seeds inside under lights, and they appear to be quite healthy seedlings.

A few weeks ago, I hardened them off outside - as usual - left them in their shoebox with another box on top in a sheltered shady spot. One was planted in a permanent spot and survived. Yesterday, I planted another near the first.

We rarely have freezing temps here, so not anticipating that they will freeze, but wondering if I stunted growth by planting out so soon.

I'm in So. Cal. coastal and yesterday the temperature was up around 70. Tomorrow - who knows. I still have 2 more little tads sitting in a sunny window - just in case.

Comments on growing them?

Bejay

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