Globe Artichokes in sub-zero temperatures

[Perry]

My artichokes were sown from seed last spring and grew nicely last year but didn’t get mature enough to have any buds, they are currently having a bit of a tough time with ice & snow and I’m worried they won’t survive much longer! I did cover them with fleece but the snow weighed them down quite a lot and some of the lower leaves froze (which I then cut off at the stem). I’ve read that it is good to cut them back and cover with straw, this seems a bit vague so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[charles]

Perry, globe artichokes tolerate a lot of frost, to -10C/14F in my experience and probably lower.
What they don’t do is keep their leaves during a cold winter. Just the roots survive, which power new growth in the spring.
In climates with little winter frost like here, cutting back is not needed. But if it’s likely to be say -8C/18F or lower, cutting back is worthwhile, and straw if beelow perhaps -10C.

[Perry]

Thank you Charles, that is helpful – maybe it also means the smallest one I thought had completely died is just waiting until it warms up a bit before bursting back into action – I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

On the subject of artichokes, as I didn’t get any flower buds last year, will I need cut them off this year and wait a further year before letting them develop into edible globes?

BTW, I find the videos on your youtube channel the most helpful gardening advice I have ever seen, clear and to the point, well filmed/ edited too, and amongst a very select group of videos (on any subject) I enjoy watching all the way through to the end. They have also prompted me to buy a couple of your books (so they do work!) and get planting in modules, no doubt I’ll buy some more as my gardening/ potager develops, thank you!

[charles]

Just leave them Perry, they will make flower stems, then after harvests you twist the woody stems out, and notice new growth from the base. Your next job is the summer harvest, + weeding for sure.
Thanks for your comments, seems You Tube is good for all of us.

[Author]

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