If they overwinter in your climate, all artichokes should bear the second year. To get them the first year, you have to grow "Imperial Star" the only variety which really yields as an annual. I have read that the variety "Emerald" has some tendency to bear the first year, but is not nearly as consistent or reliable. And, the plants have to be VERNALIZED when they are in the 6 to 8 leaf stage. To do this, they have to have about 500 hours of temps under 50 degrees. The easiest way to do this is to grow them in small pots to the 6 leaf stage, and then put them in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I've found, actually, that about 2 weeks is really enough to make it work, and they start going downhill and getting really yellow if I leave them longer. You can also put the plants outside after the 6 leaf stage if your climate allows -- cold, under 50 degrees, but not freezing.

That's how I do it with first-year artichokes from seeds. I sow the seed around the beginning of February (the beginning of January might be better but I'm never ready to start seeds that early), pot them up from the starter flat to individual pots when they have two true leaves, harden them off to sunlight and wind as soon thereafter as I can, and leave them outside in cold weather (but not freezing cold since they are so young). I transplant them into the ground around the same time I transplant tomatoes, and I put them where they get morning sun and afternoon shade because July/August heat can be really hard on them. If in well-drained soil, they are a short-lived perennial here, usually lasting at least 3 years. What usually kills mine is a very, very wet year with flooding where our soil just doesn't dry out for several months. Because cold nights hang on so long here, and because my greenhouse is unheated, I don't go to a lot of trouble to put them in the ground early and get them cold-exposure as they'll get enough of it anyhow with all our late recurring cold nights through early May. With some flowering plants that need a certain degree of moist cold stratification, like Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate and Chocolate Daisies, I sow the seeds in a sterile, soil-less mix in a half-flat or a quarter-flat, put the flat in a zip-lock bag, write the start date on the bag with a Sharpie, and put the flat in the refrigerator for however long the cold stratification needs to be. Once they've had enough cold, I take them out of the fridge and out of the bag and put them on the light shelf or in the greenhouse to sprout. Someone told me long ago I'd have to cold-stratify artichoke seeds, but they were wrong. Mine sprouted just fine (and very quickly) after going straight from the seed pack to the starter flat, with no cold stratification.

lscully02 said: "Mine's only 6-8" tall out of the container..." Make sure the container is large enough for your plant. If the pot is too small, the plant will become root bound and not grow properly. Some folks use 3 gallon, but most use 5 gallon or larger. Also, feed regularly and be sure it gets plenty of sun. Good Luck. Rick

The first has bloomed now, and I've posted pictures. I'm doing a time lapse video of these growing, so I think I have the light too far away to accommodate the cameras. They are under a 7" humidity dome, and the light is on top. If I didn't have to accommodate the cameras, I'd put the light about an inch or two away from the top of the plant.