Globe artichokes

andrewh244

I grew several artichokes from seed last year, the variety is Violetto Preccoce. They produced a few small chokes last year and were about 2 feet high. This year they really took off in terms of grow, and currently between 5 to over 6 feet high, and they are producing lots of small chokes some of which I have removed and cooked, but they still come! I munched them earlier in the year with compost and have watered them. I chose the variety because it is thornless, but the current chokes, besides being small, also have prickley ends. What am I doing wrong. 

bertrand-mabel

We have been growing globes for many years and the plants are about the same height as yours. (Don't know the variety). Some have thorns at the end of the flower head leaves but most don't. You could snip off the thorns when you have picked them, fiddly.

 Once you have picked the top globe then the side ones should develop. All of ours are between an orange-grapefruit size.

We don't water them as then they put on more and more leaf.

Mulching will also have given them a great time.

Great to eat and having seen them last year in a supermarket for £1.50 each well worth having them.