A little obsession of mine lately? Artichokes. Growing them. Or rather, getting them to grow. Germination.
Here's the instructions given on my pack of Imperial Star Artichoke seeds:
Sow 1/4" deep in a lightly moistened flat. Germinate at 80-85 for 8 hours a day and 68-75 for 16 hours a day. Grow at 60-70 day and 50-60 night. Time transplanting so that the plants get at least 250 hours of temperatures below 50 to induce budding.
Really? I rigged up a hot pad under the seed tray and cranked it up religiously 8 hours a day.
I kept to this regiment for awhile using the hot pad & finally gave up after 3 weeks and only 1 seed germinating. I stuck the flat outside & just have kept the soil moist. FINALLY this week, 6 weeks after seeding these babies, 9 more are coming up.
The cool thing about artichokes and living on the edge of USDA hardiness zone 9? They're perennials here that will live 3-5 years. I expect no fruit this year, but next...
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| temperatures outside have triggered natural germination this week |
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| here's that first one that germinated weeks ago - this newest leaf is prickly on the edges |
4 comments:
Don't know where you ordered the seeds from but I always had a lot of luck with the instructions at Johnny's
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8345-imperial-star-og.aspx
And one more...
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/Assets/Information/Artichokes.pdf
Thanks Carrie. I did get these seeds from Johnny's. I'm starting them so late they won't get a chance to have a 'cold treatment' to bud this year. I'm just trying to get a good stand up & in a permanent bed. Dad just got me a pack of purple Italian ones!
lovely blog will be following you now to see how you get on with your darlings and the farm.. all the best from across the pond;;J
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