Artichoke Question
October 30th, 2005 by Kathy Purdy · 5 Comments
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.
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About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. •
USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural;
Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian
Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level:
intermediate
• Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY
native plants, gardening with/for children
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5 responses so far ↓
1
Judith
// Oct 30, 2005 at 3:17 pm
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!
2
Denise Kemp
// Nov 6, 2005 at 9:46 pm
Thanks so much. I’ll give it a try.
3
Kenny Point
// Nov 27, 2005 at 10:21 am
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.
4
Rick
// Mar 28, 2006 at 9:55 am
This message is to Kenny… Where did you find the frost “resistant” artichoke. I’d like to try them too.
5
Kathy Purdy
// Mar 28, 2006 at 10:01 am
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.
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