If you're cultivating artichokes as vegetables, harvest the edible buds before their flowers bloom - although leaving them bloom can bring many other advantages to your garden.
Leave the flower to bloom on its own, and it will produce seeds which can be collected and planted the following year. Additionally, this will attract pollinators essential to your garden and add beauty to the landscape.
They Attract Pollinators
Artichokes with their vibrant purple thistle-like flowers attract beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies to any garden, drawing bees and butterflies with their attractive colors and sweet nectar. Pollinators then help pollinate their flowers which produces seeds which can then be harvested and planted after they mature - while at the same time adding beautiful decorative accents to any outdoor space. Additionally, their attractive thistle-like blooms add a stunning aesthetic touch.
Be mindful that once the flower buds open they become non-edible and too tough for harvesting; therefore it would be wiser to leave the plants alone so they may finish producing seeds and attract pollinators for their own purposes before pulling.
Allowing the plant to bloom has another downside in that it diverts energy away from bud production and seed development to reproductive processes, potentially decreasing overall edible buds yields.
Before allowing a plant to flower, it's essential to consider its age and location carefully. Generally, waiting until its second or third year before flowering should be sufficient time for full maturity of its roots and soil conditions. In bloom plants are vulnerable to disease and insect damage so non-toxic pest prevention systems such as Sluggo pellets or homemade beer traps may help. Slugs and snails that plague perennial plants like this one can leave holes in leaves and scar bud scales that make the flowers unattractive and unappetizing - thus ruining what's left for flowers to blooming fully!
They Add Beauty to Your Garden
Artichoke flowers add a stunning purple or pink accent to any garden, which contrasts beautifully with green foliage and other colors in the landscape. Additionally, artichokes make great centerpieces for flower arrangements or dried to use in special projects.
By letting your artichoke plant bloom, its seeds can produce food or seeds to use as plant food in subsequent years. Either way, you'll reap many rewards when allowing this delicious vegetable to flower!
Artichokes not only attract pollinators, but their vibrant blooms also draw in other beneficial insects that help combat pests that threaten your crop - in some areas even serving as natural deterrents against rabbits!
Although the advantages of allowing your artichoke to flower outweigh its drawbacks, some factors should be taken into account when making this decision. For instance, it would be prudent to wait one or more years before permitting its blooming; otherwise it might hinder its ability to reach maturity. For instance, new artichokes should focus on becoming established first before beginning flowering activities.
Allowing an artichoke to flower can divert energy away from photosynthesis, leading to smaller leaves and yield. Furthermore, overfertilizing can increase susceptibility to rot and disease - for this reason it is wise to apply an organic mulch layer around its base in order to retain moisture levels and thwart weed growth.
They Can Be Eaten
Recklessly neglected gardens typically produce produce past its prime (such as zucchinis the size of baseball bats) and overgrown garden beds filled with weeds. Artichoke plants offer a rare exception by flowering into an edible harvest: their buds, outer bract bases and immature florets at the core are all edible components that add delicious texture to meals.
As soon as the buds open they become tough and unsuitable for consumption; therefore it is best to harvest them when tightly packed. If you wish to display artichoke flowers in a vase then after they have withered and the plant has stopped producing seeds you may choose to cut them before or after they wither.
Letting an artichoke plant go to seed can have serious repercussions. Energy will be diverted away from production, potentially decreasing vigor over time and yields from the plant itself. According to one study, this could also decrease yields.
If you want to grow artichokes at home, it is wise to experiment with various varieties to determine which best matches your environment. They can be grown anywhere from the ground to pots or greenhouse, with warm sunny spots and fertile free-draining soil being essential. Seeds should be planted ten-12 weeks prior to their last frost date for faster germination.
They Can Be Dryed
Although not considered food, growing artichokes is beneficial in more ways than one. Not only will you attract pollinators to pollinate it, but you can use its petals dried for flower arrangements or other projects as well as harvest seeds for future plantings.
To maintain a beautiful plant, it's crucial that blooms are cut back before they start withering, as this allows the plant to focus its energy on producing seeds rather than flowers. When flowers do start withering, cut off and place in water vase or compost bin immediately.
Before using artichoke flowers in floral arrangements or other creative projects, ensure they have been thoroughly dried. To do so, simply cut off their stalk with sharp scissors, tie thread at their base, and hang upside-down in a cool and dry environment until time for use.
Artichoke plants make an elegant addition to any garden while providing edible greens that can be used in numerous dishes. Steamed or roasted artichokes are especially delicious ways to enjoy this nutritious vegetable that contains vitamin C, A and folate - as well as being delicious!