![]() I’ll just fertilize them with that one or two times and then the plants should be doing great. Then, if the plant is going to bloom and set fruit (peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, melons, squash, pumpkins, etc.), I’ll switch to a liquid fertilizer where the middle number (phosphorus) is higher. Soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer (1 tbsp/gal) is added to the potted seedlings. Once the plants are officially transplanted out in the garden, I’ll fertilize them again and maybe about 2 weeks later. When grown from seed, the artichoke plant is a biennial, growing. I typically fertilize the seedlings about every 2 weeks. of fertilizer to a gallon of water, I use 1/2 tbsp. I dilute the fertilizer with water and use half as much fertilizer as the label recommends, while the plants are small. The easiest type of liquid fertilizer to find is fish emulsion but garden centers also carry others that are primarily used to get young plants off to a good start. Now, about my fertilizer routine: I like to start out with a liquid fertilizer that is high in nitrogen, which is the first number listed on containers or packages of fertilizer. Again, these steps will apply any time you need to up-pot seedlings. If I start to see roots emerging from the new pots, I’ll bump them up one more time! ![]() It is unlikely I will have to move them to larger pots but I’ll certainly keep an eye on them. You can watch it here and then continue with the process one goes through to up-pot seedlings below it:Īnd finally, the last photo shows that I’ve up-potted the four artichoke seedlings into their very own pots. Seed treatments like vernalization were the topic of one of my seed-starting videos. By exposing the seeds to cold temperatures, I’m making them “think” (if you can call it that!) they’ve already been through a winter and should produce artichokes this year. Because we have cold winters (zones 5/6), we have to grow artichokes as annuals but the real problem is that they typically are more productive in their second year. If you’re not familiar with the vernalization process, it involves exposing certain seeds to cold temperatures (in the refrigerator) for a couple of weeks, prior to starting them indoors like you normally would. I thought you might be interested in learning how to up-pot seedlings because the steps below apply to all kinds of seedlings that you’ve started indoors.īut before we begin… If you’ve been following along, you know that I “vernalized” my artichoke seeds and then sowed them a little over a month ago. Here in Spokane, Wash., that’s in mid-May. Usual seed life: 1 year.Yesterday, it was time to up-pot my artichoke seedlings into larger containers since they can’t be planted outside until the danger of frost has passed. In optimum conditions at least 70% of seeds will germinate. Approximately two weeks before the last frost date (or if hard frost is forecast) cut the plants back to 15cm (6″) tall, and mulch well with straw, soil, leaves, or burlap, to keep the roots from freezing. On the coast, with protective mulch, these plants may overwinter. Dig in lots of compost or rotted manure and add 1/2 to 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer per plant. ![]() Select a sunny, sheltered location with well-draining soil. Seeds can also be germinated between damp sheets of paper towel. Artichokes need a cool period (250 hours - approximately 10 to 11 days) below 10☌ (50☏) to induce flowering in the first year, but will not survive hard frost. Transplant seedlings into the garden 2 weeks after the last average frost date for your area. Keep moist in a warm place until seeds germinate in 10 to 21 days. Start indoors in late winter, four to six weeks before the last frost date. Zone: 6 (hardy in Zone 5 if you use mulch and cloche cover) Imperial Star grows beautifully in an open field situation. Harvesting artichokes in the first year of growth is a real benefit for growers. ![]() Offshoots of these plants should be set out in the spring, so that the older plants can be replaced after a few years. Follow along with this handy How to Grow Artichokes from Seeds Guide and grow food. Before frost, cut back to 15cm (6″) tall and mulch with soil, straw, or leaves to keep the root from freezing. Artichokes require good soil, regular watering and feeding, plus frost protection in winter. Commercial culture is limited to warm areas in Zone 7 and above. It takes some work and a lot of patience to grow artichokes from seed, but it’s worth the effort.
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