Denise Kemp writes:
My brother-in-law gave me an artichoke plant this spring that was given to him. He told me that I need to lift the plant in the fall but didn’t have any details on whether to take the leaves off or leave it in dirt or newspaper or what so I’m not sure what to do with it after I lift it. I live in Michigan in Zone 5. Do you know what to do with the plant after it’s lifted?
Anyone who knows the answer (or wants to offer an educated guess) please respond in the comments. Thanks in advance.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I grow artichokes on the Colorado plains (also Zone 5, but constant wind and little snow cover) and have had success overwintering by cutting back drastically (6-12 “), mulching about a foot deep with manure/shavings mix and covering that with remay or plastic, well pegged down. I grow three kinds – 2 Italian heirloom and 1 globe, and all will overwinter most of the time.
Rick, you can reach Kenny directly at http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/ . He has a very informative site. If the person commenting fills in the URL blank in the comment form, then everyone else can go to that URL by clicking on their name in the published comment. If you go back to Kenny’s comment, you will find that clicking on his name will bring you to his site.
This message is to Kenny… Where did you find the frost “resistant” artichoke. I’d like to try them too.
I live in Zone 6 and have overwintered globe artichokes in the garden by mulching and covering with clear plastic, but that’s pretty much hit or miss. I have also dug the roots and placed them in a five gallon bucket of soil kept in an unheated garage. Better success, but still not 100%.
This year I’m experimenting with an artichoke variey that is supposed to be much hardier and capable of surviving to zero degrees without protection. Yes, I’m sceptical, but giving it a shot. I have three plants in the garden, two are under a portable cold frame and I may place a wall-of-water around the third.
Thanks so much. I’ll give it a try.
Keep it potted. If you can, winter it over in a cold/not freezing greenhouse & keep it on the dry side (the crowns rot easily). Trim it back if necessary to make room for it but don’t cut it down to the soil.
Excess crown moisture & freeze thaw cycles seem to be their limiters here (z4)–I had a customer winter over a green globe for 4 years as she had planted it on a hilltop in a tire, and they mulched it when things froze up. She said the most chokes she had in one season was 26!