Cardoon Seeds,
Gobbo Di Nizza

Cardoon needs a long run at it, 120 to 150 days from sowing to a cuttable stalk, so start seed indoors 2 to 3 months ahead of your last spring frost instead of waiting on the garden to warm. Set it 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and look for sprouts in 10 to 21 days.

Gobbo di Nizza is grown for its broad white stalks, and stalks that size want feeding: give each plant 18 inches of room in very rich, well-drained soil in full sun, and never let the moisture run short. In zones 7 to 10 the crown is frost hardy and returns as a perennial.

• Artichokes typically take two years to produce a crop, but they can be coaxed into flowering the first year.
• To get a crop of artichokes in one year, start seeds indoors in pots 2 to 3 months before the last frost date in spring. Move the pots outdoors when four leaves have developed.
• Sow seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.
• When temperatures are occasionally freezing, protect plants if temperatures fall below 29 degrees.
• Two to four weeks of exposure to cool temps “vernalizes” the young seedlings, preparing them to bloom later in the season after plants have grown large.
• Cardoons may also be started early indoors, but vernalizing isn’t necessary.
• Seeds germinate in 10-21 days.
• Ideal germination temperature is 60-80 F.

• Both artichokes and cardoons prefer 6-12 hours of full sun.
• In very hot summer areas, they may benefit from some mid-afternoon shade.
• Provide rich, deep, well-drained soil and ample moisture.
• Seedlings require a chill period (nights below 45 F but above freezing) to produce artichokes.
• Mature plants produce many buds over a long season. Simply cut off each bud, with an inch of stem, when it has reached its full size but before the “scales” begin to separate, which signals that the bud is about to bloom.
• After harvest you can cut the plant down to the ground and mulch it. Mulching can allow artichokes to act as a perennial in zones 5 or 6, where there are usually not sustained periods of deep freezes.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Artichokes require frequent irrigation in order to produce large, tender heads. At the same time, make sure that the soil drains well, as the plants do not like waterlogged soil and will have a tendency to rot in these conditions.
• Mulching can help retain moisture and reduce the rate at which you need to water.
• Common pests with artichokes include armyworms and aphids.

Saving sunflower seeds is very easy!

• Artichokes and cardoons produce big thistle flowers that, once open, display a bright purple flower.
• In order to collect seed, let the flower dry on the stalk.
• If you have harsh winters, harvest it partially dry and continue drying the flower inside.
• Once dry, remove the once-purple stamens. Below the stamens you will find dandelion-like seed heads with a seed at the bottom.
• In order to select the largest seeds, you may need to dig down further into the center of the flower. Using scissors or tweezers can help extract the seeds.
• Once the seeds are extracted from the dry flower head, finish air drying them and then store them in a cool, dry place for the winter.