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

Yes I cut them back then covered them with about six inches of compost and a foot of straw :)

My good friend Thomas Jefferson grew artichokes in Northern VA (Zone 7) as perenials by overwintering them. I am attempting the same with globe artichokes (6 plants in a raised bed). I have already added more topsoil around the plants and a 1 - 2 inch layer of leaf mulch. Next, I intend to cut the plants down to about 12 inches and cover them with leaf mulch. I will then cover the mulch with flower pots that have a rock anchor on top to protect them from being blown over by the wind. I will keep the soil most during the winter.

t-bird - you say you planted tomatoes and peppers already? How soon will you be having enough heat to ripen them? Not sure about your particular climate, but it seems a bit soon for those heat-loving summer plants. Although you didn't mention whether you had a green house -so probably I'm speaking too soon. Our Mediterranean climate - mild summers, mild winters - finds it difficult to get the heat loving veggies to ripen, and sometimes they wait until late August/September - but then will hang on until the dampness kills them. I've tried a lot of different strategies to keep them happy, but I guess I'll have to settle for having some great cool weather crops. Right now, I'm enjoying the most beautiful sowings of Bibb lettuce along with mesclun. The Chinese cabbage, bok choy, broccoli all looking great. Garlic standing nice and tall in front and along sides of my planters - but not bulbing yet. Even the artichokes seem to be enjoying our 40-50's temps without showing signs of wilt. I planted a few potatoes that were sprouting, and a few that had little taters, are coming up strong. There are 2 or 3 ancho-type peppers still hanging on - which finally turned red. I harvested a lot of small "christmas tree light" types - about an inch or so long, hotter than hades - but dried and ground them for substitute cayenne peppers - which didn't thrive as well. So - guess I can't complain from this part of the world -- Merry Christmas everybody - and thanks for all of your support over the years - your really great! Bejay