How Do You Grow Chinese Artichokes?

How to Grow Chinese Artichokes from Seed

Chinese artichokes are easily grown from seed but you need a few things ready beforehand. Firstly, the plants should be 3 years old or more before you attempt to harvest the seeds. This is because at that age they will be much too woody to produce seeds. You can also start seedlings from cuttings which is great if you have access to a greenhouse so you don’t have to wait for warm weather to germinate your seeds as with outdoor germination. Chinese artichokes have a thick, woody taproot that you do not want to harvest. Instead, you want to grow your plants from seeds. Unlike other vegetables, your Chinese artichokes do not need to be replanted every year. They are the type of crop that can be harvested for the long term. If you grow from seeds, you can harvest the plants every few years and keep harvesting until you run out of seeds. Chinese artichoke seeds are tiny and need high temperatures and humidity to germinate. Studies show that they are not likely to germinate outdoors in most places. Even if you manage to get some seeds to germinate, high temperatures are likely to kill them before they mature. Chinese artichokes can be started indoors 6-12 weeks before the last spring frost. Chinese artichokes are heat and humidity-loving crops. They need temperatures of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels above 80 percent to grow. You can easily achieve these conditions inside a greenhouse or plastic greenhouse. If you do not have access to a greenhouse, you can grow Chinese artichokes from cuttings indoors.

How to Grow Chinese Artichokes from Cuttings

Let’s face it, growing from seed is a huge commitment, time-consuming and it may or may not work for you. You can always try growing Chinese artichokes from cuttings though. That way, you only commit to a few hundred plants rather than the thousands of seeds it takes to grow an artichoke bed from seed. So all you need to do is to take cuttings from healthy plants 3 years old or more. You can also take leaf cuttings from year-old plants if they are still in good health. Place the cuttings into pots filled with rich potting soil (with added compost and aged manure). Chinese artichokes do not need to be grown in soil that contains lots of organic matter. Instead, you can use soil-less potting mixes. The potting soil needs to be slightly sandy so that the roots can easily penetrate it. You can water your cuttings until they are halfway submerged. The potting soil should be slightly moist. It is best to use a humidifier placed on the pots if you live in an area with low humidity. You can also just let the pots sit in a warm, humid area. This will help to promote good growth. After about 2 weeks, you should see new leaves developing on the cuttings. You can then report your cuttings into 2-inch pots filled with good potting soil.

How to Start an Organic Chinese Artichoke Garden

If you have space in your backyard, you can grow Chinese artichokes from seed or by purchasing plants from a nursery or online. But if you have limited space or are not interested in the time commitment, you can start an organic Chinese artichoke garden by purchasing plants as cuttings. You can also start an indoor organic Chinese artichoke garden by planting the seeds indoors. First, decide which cultivar you want to grow and get a few plants from a local nursery or online. The next step is to pot up any healthy cuttings from the plants to grow as new plants in your garden. Make sure the pots have good drainage holes and water them well until they are halfway submerged. You can also use pebbles to improve drainage. Place the pots in a sunny location in your garden and water them as needed. You can also use a greenhouse if you do not have a sunny location in your backyard.

Choosing the Right Chinese Artichoke cultivar for your garden

Chinese artichoke plants come in many varieties and cultivars. Some of these cultivars are more likely to produce edible leaves while others are more suitable for growing as cuttings. You want to choose a cultivar that has edible leaves that are more likely to be woody than leaves that are soft and tender. Soft and tender leaves are often the first type of leaves to appear on a plant. They can be eaten but they are also the first to get rotten in your garden and the hardest to harvest. You want to choose a cultivar that has more woody leaves. Woody leaves are usually the last type of leaves to get rotten and are the easiest to harvest.

Tips for Maintaining an Organic Chinese Artichoke Garden

Growing Chinese artichokes from seed or cuttings is not as difficult as it seems. You can grow these vegetables in nearly any climate and soil type as long as you have the right conditions. Plenty of sunlight and a little bit of water are all you need to grow organic Chinese artichokes from seed or cuttings. If you do not have enough heat or sunlight, you can use a greenhouse or grow Chinese artichokes indoors. Chinese artichokes are the type of crop that you do not have to replant every year. Once you harvest the seeds, you can plant new seedlings every few years until they run out of seeds. You also do not have to repot your plants every year. You can just plant the seedlings in the same pot they were growing in. Chinese artichoke plants are very drought tolerant and can withstand hot, dry conditions. They are also very forgiving when it comes down to soil conditions. You can grow these vegetables in almost any type of soil so long as it is well-drained. Chinese artichoke plants can be grown from seed and cuttings. The choice of cultivar will depend on your location and your climate. You can also grow Chinese artichoke plants from seeds indoors or by planting seedlings in any well-drained soil.