FREE: Artichokes Organically Grown, Hand Harvseted - 5 Seeds

The listing, Artichokes Organically Grown, Hand Harvseted - 5 Seeds has ended.

You are bidding on a hand picked lot of 5 artichoke seeds.

The Artichoke is a multi-purpose plant: its tender hearts and meaty leaf-like bracts are a stunning addition to any meal; its jagged-edged gray-green leaves are beautiful in any garden, and its buds make stunning flowers.

As buds are cut, artichoke plants send out side shoots, which form buds as well. In other words, the more buds you harvest, the more you get. In the heat of summer, however, the artichoke's stems and leaves wither as the plants sink into summer dormancy. Once the air cools in fall, silvery green leaves sprout from the earth once again.

I sow my artichoke seeds in August, then transplant once the seedlings are about 5 inches tall. (Seed-started artichokes often produce two crops their first year!)

Space plants at least 5 feet apart — they easily grow 3 or 4 feet tall and 5 or 6 feet wide.

Artichoke plants need full sun and well-draining soil. If yours is a container garden, plant artichokes into 15-gallon nursery containers or very large decorative plastic or ceramic pots.

Artichoke plants are surprisingly drought tolerant, which is great for my Texas gardens. That said, a bit of extra water in late spring would make for more buds.

Like other Mediterranean climate plants, artichokes are accustomed to poor soils, so if you mulch with organic compost, you needn't fertilize. In fact, too much nitrogen fertilizer encourages foliage at the expense of buds

Since artichokes are perennials, they're a great addition to any perennial garden. Combine them with other Mediterranean climate plants such as rock-rose, lavender, bay and rosemary. Where winter temperatures go below 10 degrees F, grow artichokes as annuals.

Seeds will ship via USPS usually within 24 hours of the end of the auction and my receipt of your Listia approved address.