Per what I have read, I will be cutting the dying stems, tying up the leaves, and adding some mulch. I was considering adding a row cover or tunnel. Thoughts? I have read stories of them being overwintered in zone 5, Johnny's says zone 6. We'll see! Worth a shot.

Anyone have any advice on a using a hoop house or row cover to help overwinter my artichokes?

They are saying it will be a mildish winter due to el nino... we'll see about that.

I grew some last year and they overwintered with straw and row cover laid on top. It was a wet spring and I was worried about mold growing on straw and uncovered the artichokes and they looked good and began to grow. A late frost (I actually forgot about the artichokes) killed then. However, I had already started more from seed and transplanted them out. They grew well this year. I will cover again with wheat straw and row cover and see what happens (and be more attentive in spring). Winter Highs are usually above freezing, lows down to teens, maybe couple days in single digits.

Row Cover? sorry never heard that term I'm a noob

The deer ate one of them last night.

Row cover is just a fabric type material, can be used with hoops or just laid on some types of vegetables. Example: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-232-row-cover.aspx

I have some left over from other uses.

@Peter invest in a bow

@maplegarden172 oh ok yeah ive seen that..wasnt sure the name. Thanks!

@John, I would need a machine gun on motion sensor where I live. I do have a fenced garden, but I did not think they would eat the artichokes (and they didn't all summer, but now they are getting to the crazed winter behavior.) Hopefully they will grow back in the Spring if they survive the winter.... I am not sure about the one that was eaten though, it completely died back then regrew, so the roots are probably exhausted.

I was considering covering some lettuce in a hoop house for the winter, but I am starting to think the deer will jump my 6 foot fence, and tear it apart, in the middle of the winter they are really desperate.

@peter....invest in a bow..not loud and the machine gun may taint the meat ;)

yes that is weird i have a low fence no issues from deer. can't rememeber deer deterrent herbs or something.

Not related to the OP, but this weekend I managed to get revenge on one of the deer that ate most of my sweet corn this summer. Yum yum sweet corn fed venison in my near future!

@loneJack oh that was worth the read....if only you lived down the street haha