Posted by Suzanne D. on July 6, 2009, 2:43 am
I have eight globe artichoke plants. I bought them last year, and they grew
all summer but never got any buds.
This year, they have grown quite well, but there is still no sign of buds.
I don't do much to them--no amendments, no tilling, no pruning. I pull the
grasses and weeds around them, and water them with drip lines for a couple
of hours two or three times a week.
I live in zone 8-9 (southwestern Utah). Should the artichokes be getting
buds by now, or am I just too impatient? If they ARE supposed to be
budding, then do you know what I am doing wrong and how I might fix it?
Thanks for any advice.
--S.
Posted by David Hare-Scott on July 6, 2009, 3:41 am
Suzanne D. wrote:
> I have eight globe artichoke plants. I bought them last year, and
> they grew all summer but never got any buds.
> This year, they have grown quite well, but there is still no sign of
> buds. I don't do much to them--no amendments, no tilling, no pruning.
> I pull the grasses and weeds around them, and water them with drip
> lines for a couple of hours two or three times a week.
> I live in zone 8-9 (southwestern Utah). Should the artichokes be
> getting buds by now, or am I just too impatient? If they ARE
> supposed to be budding, then do you know what I am doing wrong and
> how I might fix it? Thanks for any advice.
> --S.
They should have had buds in April or May by my reckoning. How big are the
leaves? Are they in full sun?
David
Posted by Suzanne D. on July 6, 2009, 12:40 pm
> They should have had buds in April or May by my reckoning. How big are
> the leaves? Are they in full sun?
The leaves are about 24 inches give or take. They get partial shade.
--S.
Posted by David Hare-Scott on July 6, 2009, 7:23 pm
Suzanne D. wrote:
>> They should have had buds in April or May by my reckoning. How big
>> are the leaves? Are they in full sun?
> The leaves are about 24 inches give or take. They get partial shade.
> --S.
That's about half the size of a well grown plant. I would say either they
are underfed, don't get enough sun or both.
David
Posted by David Hare-Scott on July 6, 2009, 10:48 pm
Billy wrote:
>> Suzanne D. wrote:
>>>
>>>> They should have had buds in April or May by my reckoning. How big
>>>> are the leaves? Are they in full sun?
>>>
>>> The leaves are about 24 inches give or take. They get partial
>>> shade. --S.
>>
>> That's about half the size of a well grown plant. I would say
>> either they are underfed, don't get enough sun or both.
>>
>> David
> David,
> are you sure on this? IIRC artichokes are about 4ft (1.2M) in
> diameter. That's the separation that I gave mine. You're suggesting 8
> ft. in diameter?
You had me worried that I was telling porkies so I went and measured.
Firing from the hip a 4ft leaf was a slight exageration, most leaves are
between 3 and 3 1/2 ft. So to my eyes 2ft is under grown. Inadequate light
will reduce flowering even on good sized plants.
I mostly don't plant artichokes in rows but spot them around the flower
garden nominally run by Her Indoors. They are a kind of cool season feature
plant. We like the look AND the taste - ain't nature grand! I would say
4ft is about right for me however I do tend plant close because my soil is
rich and I don't get much root competition.
David
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> they grew all summer but never got any buds.
> This year, they have grown quite well, but there is still no sign of
> buds. I don't do much to them--no amendments, no tilling, no pruning.
> I pull the grasses and weeds around them, and water them with drip
> lines for a couple of hours two or three times a week.
> I live in zone 8-9 (southwestern Utah). Should the artichokes be
> getting buds by now, or am I just too impatient? If they ARE
> supposed to be budding, then do you know what I am doing wrong and
> how I might fix it? Thanks for any advice.
> --S.