All right. I’ll admit it…there is no golden artichoke. They’re either green or purple, depending on the variety you choose to grow. This veggie is truly an adventure for both eating purposes and gardening purposes. Bees and butterflies love them, when left to bloom on their own. Think “Giant Thistle”. And the flavor! Oh my. Even my dog will eat artichokes.
Until recently, there were no varieties available to the home gardener that would work for us outside of the Pacific coast region or the mild Mediterranean. They generally don’t like temperatures below 20 degrees. Don’t we all feel that way? The Imperial Star, which became available within the last ten years, changed all that. This variety can be started from seed (although I prefer seedlings from the nursery) in the early spring. It will produce edibles in about 90 days, once you’ve set out your transplants.
Western Oregon’s climate is generally mild enough to grow these thistles as perennials. They should be cut back and heavily mulched in the winter. After a mild winter, new plants should sprout from the parent plant in the spring. Uncover them in April. Colder winters, such as we’ve seen in the last couple of years, may cause your chokes to not fare as well.
Until the advent of the Imperial Star, ‘chokes grown from seed usually didn’t produce buds in their first season. The Imperial Star is marketed as an annual. The perennial varieties – Green Globe and Violetto – require chilling and are more finicky. Their crowns require around FIVE HUNDRED HOURS of a process called “vernalization” – temperatures between 34 and 50 degrees. This process is said to produce bigger bud yields.
Right now is the time to start, if you’re starting from seed, indoors. Keep them under grow lights for about eight weeks and then harden off. In April or May, you should be able to find them at the nurseries or garden centers.
Select a planting site that has full sun, well-drained soil and lots of organic matter. Set your plants out when the temperature is consistently 50 degrees or higher and the danger of frost is past. Have your soil loosened to a depth of 12 inches as ‘chokes set down taproots that need to be positioned straight down. Give them plenty of room, as they will eventually grow to five feet in height and some 40 inches in width. If it’s hot out, mulch the plants thickly to keep the soil cool. Over 85 degrees of soil temperature and your plants will go dormant. Keep in mind the shade these large plants are going to cast and consider what your companion plants require.
Use a slow release fertilizer such as well-rotted manure, fishmeal pellets or compost. Artichokes are hungry; so don’t skimp on the fertilizer. They need consistent and steady moisture as well. They don’t like wet feet and will develop root rot if the soil doesn’t drain well. A soaker hose or dripper under the mulch is really the easiest and most efficient way to make sure that your ‘chokes are getting the water they require.
Artichokes aren’t much bothered by pests with the exception of aphids and rabbits. Strong sprays of water and insecticidal soap will take care of the aphids. A chicken wire cage or your dog will take care of the rabbit problem.
When the plants reach a good height, a center – or terminal – bud will form. It’s the largest and the first one to mature on the plant. Then side shoots will form, producing more buds – smaller and later ripening. Harvest these buds before they start to open. They will be tight with waxy petals. You can store them in the fridge for up to two weeks, if you can resist that long. They really are best when eaten shortly after they’re harvested.
Artichoke plants should produce for three or four years. Then it is best to dig and divide, as it will produce off shoot plants that will likely crowd the original.
Artichokes and its cousin, the cardoon, are members of the daisy family – as are thistles. You can cut an artichoke, place the stem in water and often the flower will continue to mature and open into the giant violet blue thistle that it actually is. Cardoons, generally grown more for the fleshy base that the leaves we tend to savor, are smaller and likewise open into blue thistle blossoms.
Cardoons are so lovely that they are often grown as ornamentals and can be seen in French gardens along with dahlias and verbenas. Cardoons will afford an adventurous gardener a unique flavor and the pleasure of harvesting into December, and maybe throughout the winter, if the season chooses to be mild.
Cardoons are best grown from seeds. If grown from a root division, the buds tend to be tough and go to flower more quickly. If you’re growing for decorative purposes, that’s fine. If you’re planning on eating the cardoons, get some seeds. Cardoons require about a square yard of space.
Cardoons take their sweet time in getting established and they may not seem to do anything at all for the first few weeks after you’ve set out your transplants. They’re just getting a feel for the area. Keep them watered abundantly, or your cardoons will go tough on you. Water evenly and regularly to avoid bitterness.
In October, when the plant stops growing, it is time to “blanch” your cardoons. Remove all the damaged or rotten leaves. Bunch the leaves up together and tie them at two or three places with soft twine into a cylindrical shape. Wrap the cylinder with burlap or weed barrier or even an old pillowcase and tie the covering in place. This stops photosynthesis from taking place and dissipates any bitter compounds in the leaves. A tuft of leaf tips should protrude from your wrapping. Check the plants frequently as they could rot during this period. If you have a number of plants, don’t blanch them all at once. Once blanched, they must be harvested.
After 3 weeks or so under cover, your cardoons are ready to harvest. Sever the root just below the soil with a sharp, stout knife.
You can treat these plants as you would a globe artichoke. The leaves and hearts are cooked in rapidly boiling water flavored with salt and lemon. To prepare cardoons for cooking, remove any bruised or ragged outer stems. Remove the leaves from their ribs. Using a sharp paring knife, thinly pare the backs of the ribs, removing the tough fibers that run along them. Cut the ribs into two to three inch sections and drop them into some water with a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar to prevent oxidization. Remove the fuzz from the hearts.
The flavor of cardoon is very close to that of the artichoke. It works perfectly with black olives, anchovies, lemons and olive oil. It’s also a delight steamed and served with a bechamel sauce. They can be braised with a little bacon (or pancetta), onion, garlic, lemon and olive oil. They can be served cold, as a starter or salad, with hollandaise or remoulade sauce and they can be used in soups.
A final note – Artichoke and cardoon flowers left to go to seed will service as natural birdfeeders through the winter months until the finches have exhausted the oil rich seeds.
18 January 2009
12 January 2009
Asparagus
I once planted an asparagus patch around 20 years ago when I lived on the coastal side of the Santa Monica Mountains. I never got as much as one blessed spear out of that plot. Not one. I suppose I could just give up the concept of growing asparagus entirely, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, eh?
A very knowledgeable extension agent in North Carolina says, “A lot of people get scared of asparagus because they think it’s hard to grow, but it’s not.”
Right.
Done properly and with patience, the requirements for growing asparagus really are very simple. It grows well just about everywhere, except maybe Florida, and once your bed is established, you can count on a tasty crop for a decade or more.
It is one of the tastiest and healthiest vegetables you can have in your garden, packed full of folic acid, fiber and antioxidants.
My research has shown that if you’re considering growing it from seed, forget about it. It’s apparently an insane amount of work. Besides, most of the seed catalogs I’ve gone through this season are selling crowns. That’s what I put in my misbegotten patch all those years ago – crowns. I’m finding that the word “Jersey” is key to choosing a great asparagus variety – Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince. I did hear from a fellow down at Main Building that he purchased some that was very specific to our area. There’s even a purple one available.
Asparagus takes a lot of space. They sprawl. Plant your crowns about a foot apart in rows four to five feet apart. Or plant them along a fence. Fungal issues can be a problem. Asparagus is susceptible to rust and Cercospora needle blight. There are products available that are specific for use on asparagus. I’ve also heard that the good, old baking soda and water spray that has been used to battle rose fungi works on asparagus as well.
As far as soil goes, asparagus is, well, a bit finicky and demanding. It likes alkaline soil in full sun. It likes to be planted in warm (50 degrees, at least) ground. And it takes time. You won’t harvest until the second year and then, only lightly. The third year, I’m told, you can go all out and harvest all you want. The crowns need the food supply that first year to build their strength. In your second year, harvest for two weeks only. In that third year, though – look out! As the weather grows warmer, you could easily be harvesting twice a day. You can pretty much watch asparagus grow.
There are two schools of thought on cutting back the ferns in the fall for the winter. Some say it reduces the risk of fungus. Many of those in The Know claim that doesn’t work at all. Allowing the ferns to remain in the beds lowers the soil temperature and reduces the risk of frost damage in the spring, as well as helping to catch snow for additional moisture.
Making The Bed: Now is the time to start getting ready for planting. You really do want those crowns in the ground before mid-April in our area. If you’re not going to plant this year, add preparing for asparagus to your list of chores in the fall to have ready for the following spring. Find your relatively sunny area that is pretty flat and free from weeds. Prepare the soil by adding leaves, grass, rotted manure or other compost to the mix. This is one time where you’re definitely going to have to test your soil for pH. Asparagus likes it best at around 6.5.
Order your crowns from a reputable garden company. For a long time, green asparagus was the only variety available to us here in the states. As I said earlier, there is a purple variety, available from The Cook’s Garden (one of my favorite catalogs). I’ve heard that there is a white variety available as well in the US, but I’ve yet to see that.
Since your plants will become members of your family, you will need to give them plenty of room to grow larger. Dig your holes about six inches deep and at least a foot apart. Be careful when planting that the roots aren’t too bunched up and cover them with two or three inches of soil. Make sure the crowns are covered, but don’t completely fill in the holes just yet. As you care for these plants over the next several weeks, you will see growth starting. Fill in the holes as the growth emerges. You shouldn’t have to water your plants more than once a week or less if we get a lot of rain.
Asparagus is a perennial. As long as you water them regularly, they’ll grow through the spring and summer and lie dormant in the fall and winter. Continue to weed the bed and fertilize the plants with compost for the remainder of the first season. When spring comes round again, your plants will come back to life. Continue watering and fertilizing and prune as needed.
A very knowledgeable extension agent in North Carolina says, “A lot of people get scared of asparagus because they think it’s hard to grow, but it’s not.”
Right.
Done properly and with patience, the requirements for growing asparagus really are very simple. It grows well just about everywhere, except maybe Florida, and once your bed is established, you can count on a tasty crop for a decade or more.
It is one of the tastiest and healthiest vegetables you can have in your garden, packed full of folic acid, fiber and antioxidants.
My research has shown that if you’re considering growing it from seed, forget about it. It’s apparently an insane amount of work. Besides, most of the seed catalogs I’ve gone through this season are selling crowns. That’s what I put in my misbegotten patch all those years ago – crowns. I’m finding that the word “Jersey” is key to choosing a great asparagus variety – Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince. I did hear from a fellow down at Main Building that he purchased some that was very specific to our area. There’s even a purple one available.
Asparagus takes a lot of space. They sprawl. Plant your crowns about a foot apart in rows four to five feet apart. Or plant them along a fence. Fungal issues can be a problem. Asparagus is susceptible to rust and Cercospora needle blight. There are products available that are specific for use on asparagus. I’ve also heard that the good, old baking soda and water spray that has been used to battle rose fungi works on asparagus as well.
As far as soil goes, asparagus is, well, a bit finicky and demanding. It likes alkaline soil in full sun. It likes to be planted in warm (50 degrees, at least) ground. And it takes time. You won’t harvest until the second year and then, only lightly. The third year, I’m told, you can go all out and harvest all you want. The crowns need the food supply that first year to build their strength. In your second year, harvest for two weeks only. In that third year, though – look out! As the weather grows warmer, you could easily be harvesting twice a day. You can pretty much watch asparagus grow.
There are two schools of thought on cutting back the ferns in the fall for the winter. Some say it reduces the risk of fungus. Many of those in The Know claim that doesn’t work at all. Allowing the ferns to remain in the beds lowers the soil temperature and reduces the risk of frost damage in the spring, as well as helping to catch snow for additional moisture.
Making The Bed: Now is the time to start getting ready for planting. You really do want those crowns in the ground before mid-April in our area. If you’re not going to plant this year, add preparing for asparagus to your list of chores in the fall to have ready for the following spring. Find your relatively sunny area that is pretty flat and free from weeds. Prepare the soil by adding leaves, grass, rotted manure or other compost to the mix. This is one time where you’re definitely going to have to test your soil for pH. Asparagus likes it best at around 6.5.
Order your crowns from a reputable garden company. For a long time, green asparagus was the only variety available to us here in the states. As I said earlier, there is a purple variety, available from The Cook’s Garden (one of my favorite catalogs). I’ve heard that there is a white variety available as well in the US, but I’ve yet to see that.
Since your plants will become members of your family, you will need to give them plenty of room to grow larger. Dig your holes about six inches deep and at least a foot apart. Be careful when planting that the roots aren’t too bunched up and cover them with two or three inches of soil. Make sure the crowns are covered, but don’t completely fill in the holes just yet. As you care for these plants over the next several weeks, you will see growth starting. Fill in the holes as the growth emerges. You shouldn’t have to water your plants more than once a week or less if we get a lot of rain.
Asparagus is a perennial. As long as you water them regularly, they’ll grow through the spring and summer and lie dormant in the fall and winter. Continue to weed the bed and fertilize the plants with compost for the remainder of the first season. When spring comes round again, your plants will come back to life. Continue watering and fertilizing and prune as needed.
The Harvest: You will see a good harvest in your third year. Cut your spears when they are a half-inch thick or larger and at least four to five inches (or more) long. Be cautious with your young plants. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonally through the spear just below the surface of the soil to prevent the growth of woody stumps. Three years is young in the scheme of asparagus gardening considering that those plants will be part of your landscape for a decade or more. In subsequent seasons, you can continuously pick asparagus for a period of up to two months. Before you know it, you’ll be giving it away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)