We are in the thick of summer vegetable season, with our plates benefiting from colorful produce that shines in warm weather. One of our personal favorite vegetables to grow (and eat) in the summer is the artichoke. Though it often peaks in spring, these vibrant and voluminous green plants are arguably the ideal summer veg, looking at home next to lush flowers.
One of our favorite gardeners (and all-around home experts) Martha Stewart has recently shown off her own artichokes, and needless to say, we are impressed. Her globe artichokes are shown in surrounded by dark, green leaves, growing healthily in her aspirational garden.
'How is your vegetable garden doing this week? My vegetables are looking wonderful, and there will soon be lots to pick, including flavorful artichokes,' Stewart states in the caption.
Want to learn how to grow artichokes? These expert tips will fill our yards with Stewart-inspired goodness.
According to the gardens content editor at Homes & Gardens, Drew Swainston, artichokes are wonderful plants to grow in the garden for multiple reasons: they not only taste great but look visually pleasing.
'Artichokes are fantastic plants,' he comments. 'Globe artichokes, which Stewart is growing, are tall and statuesque plants that look architectural in any garden and provide a bounty of edible buds.'
While other vegetables are often nested into the ground, artichokes take center stage with a lovely display, as we can see from Stewart's photo.
As far as care goes, Swainston says that there are some key elements to growing beautiful artichokes, including season, sunlight and still air.
'Artichokes prefer to grow on a warm and sheltered site, ideally protected from strong winds as the plants can grow up to four feet in height,' Swainston says. 'Once the plant is established, they are very easy to maintain and even drought-tolerant once they have developed a strong root system.'
He continues, 'However, watering when the heads are firming will help give you a great crop of large heads. The heads should be harvested when they are tight and closed and regular cropping will encourage the development of more heads to crop.'
The great news is that artichokes come in many varieties; there are nearly 50 variations of globe artichokes alone, while Jerusalem artichokes, Chinese artichokes, and Japanese artichokes all have different appearances and flavors.
We recommend growing artichokes for anyone looking for a fairly low-maintenance vegetable that will also spruce up the garden with its unique look. For extra ease, we're tapping into Stewart's yard with these artichoke seeds, available via Amazon below.
These USDA-certified seeds guarantee the safety, health, and natural qualities of our garden (and produce veg that is almost sure to be a tasty addition to every plate).
The great news is that artichokes come in many varieties; there are nearly 50 variations of globe artichokes alone, while Jerusalem artichokes, Chinese artichokes, and Japanese artichokes all have different appearances and flavors.
We recommend growing artichokes for anyone looking for a fairly low-maintenance vegetable that will also spruce up the garden with its unique look (that's approved by those at the top).
