Artichokes usually stay productive for about three to five years, and the cool thing is you can easily propagate them yourself during that time. You’ve got two main options: starting from seed or dividing an existing plant. Here’s the lowdown on how to get more of these tasty perennials in your garden.
Option 1: Growing from Seed
This is definitely the most popular way to go. Artichoke seeds are pretty easy to spot because they’re quite large. If you let your artichokes bloom through the fall, you can harvest those dark seeds right from the flower head.
Since you won’t be starting your seeds until February, make sure to store them in a cool, dry, and dark spot in the meantime. Once February rolls around, here’s your game plan:
- Step one: Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for a few hours. This gives them a little “wake-up call” and helps speed up germination.
- Step two: Get some seed-starting pots ready with a good quality seed mix and find a warm, sunny spot for them.
- Step three: Plant your seeds and let them do their thing on a windowsill. Keep the temperature around 70°F (20°C), and you should see sprouts within about three weeks.
- Step four: Once those seedlings start getting bigger, go ahead and transplant them into larger pots.
- Step five: Don’t rush them outside! Wait until after the last frost of spring to transplant them into the garden. These little guys are sensitive to the cold, so safety first.
Option 2: Propagation by Division
This method takes a bit more elbow grease, which is why most folks stick to seeds. However, it has one huge perk: you get a mature plant immediately that can actually produce a harvest in its very first year.
If you want to give division a try, here’s how to do it:
- Step one: Pick a “mother plant” that is big, healthy, and at least two years old. Use a sharp spade to slice off a section of the perennial clump. Make sure the piece you’re taking has at least two shoots and a good, healthy root system attached.
- Step two: Carefully dig out that section and move it to its new home in the garden.
- Step three: Give them some elbow room! If you’re planting multiple artichokes, make sure they are spaced at least 30 inches (80 cm) apart so they have plenty of room to grow.
