WHY I LOVE ARTICHOKES

Artichoke plants progressively produce more and more each year.  The first year in the artichoke bed, the artichoke plants did not produce.  The second year, the plant produced 40 artichoke globes.  The third year, 174 globes and this year, 2024, we harvested 333 and allowed 32 globes to go to seed, producing the striking purple flowers you see here.  The plant will die back by mid-July in the extreme heat.  At that time, we will chop down completely and compost all the leaves and globes gone to seed.  In September, with cooling temperatures, the plant will begin growing the silver green foliage, producing globes the following spring, in ever increasing number and adding "pups", new starts, that can be relocated for additional harvest.  Artichokes are one of my favorite plants to grow in the desert...  These were grown from seed.  Give it a try 😊