All plants

Artichoke

Cynara cardunculus

Asteraceae · sunflower family

Matures
130–190 days
Harvest
Over a period · Perennial
Sun
6–8+ hrs
Spacing
24–48 in
Botanical engraving of Artichoke

Planting window

When to sow, by microclimate — foggier blocks run a different calendar than sunnier ones.

JanFebMarAprMayJun
Foggy◐●●◐◐◐
Sunny◐●●◐◐◐
JulAugSepOctNovDec
Foggy◐◐●●●◐
Sunny◐◐●●●◐
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited

Sunlight

How well it does at each level of direct sun per day.

<2 hrsNot suited
2–4 hrsNot suited
4–6 hrsMarginal
6–8 hrsWell-suited
8+ hrsWell-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited

Soil depth

Root room it needs — useful for sizing raised beds and containers.

6–10"Not suited
10–15"Not suited
15–18"Marginal
18–24"Well-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited

Spacing

Room each plant needs — along the row and between rows — for sizing beds.

In-row
24–48 in
Between rows
72–90 in

Growth habit

The shape it makes in the bed and how tall it gets — what tells you whether to give it a trellis, a stake, or just room.

Habit
Upright
Mature height
3–6 ft

Stands on its own; the tallest types appreciate a stake in wind.

How to start it

Sow it where it grows, or raise it under cover and set it out — and how far ahead to start the seedlings if it's the latter.

Usually
Transplant
Start indoors
12 weeks ahead
Direct-sowNot suited
TransplantWell-suited

Started under cover, then set out as a seedling.

Well-suitedMarginalNot suited

Getting started

How it goes in the ground — how deep to sow or set it, and the soil temperature it needs to wake up. The cold-soil floor is the real limiter for direct-sowing in a foggy SF spring.

Started from
From seed
Ideal soil temp
70–80°F
Sow depth
0.25 in
Time to emerge
8–12 days

Germinates between 70–80°F; happiest around 70–80°F.

30°F110°F
IdealWorkable

Pests & diseases

What tends to trouble this crop — what it is, what you'll see, and what to do about it, least-toxic first.

Pests4

Aphids
What it is
Aphids have soft pear-shaped bodies with long legs and antennae and may be green, yellow, brown, red, or black depending on the species and the plants they feed on. A few species appear waxy or woolly due to the secretion of a waxy white or gray substance over their body surface.
What you'll see
Low to moderate numbers of leaf-feeding aphids aren't usually damaging in gardens or on trees. However, large populations can turn leaves yellow and stunt shoots; aphids can also produce large quantities of a sticky exudate known as honeydew, which often turns black with the growth of a sooty mold fungus.
What to do
Before planting vegetables, check surrounding areas for sources of aphids and remove these sources. On the other hand, these aphid-infested weeds can sometimes provide an early source of aphid natural enemies.
Source
Artichoke Plume Moth
What it is
Adults of the artichoke plume moth vary in color from buff to brownish buff, with a wing expanse of 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches. Both fore and hind wings are divided into lobes, giving the appearance of several pairs of wings; the hind wings are fringed.
What you'll see
Larvae may chew holes in choke bracts, new stems, and leaves and bore into stem and buds. Larvae may also bore into the crown below the soil surface.
What to do
Cut all plants down to ground level for 2 or 3 months once a year. Remove all thistles and related plants.
Source
Cutworms
What it is
Cutworms are dull brown caterpillars ranging in length from 1 to 2 inches when fully grown. They curl into a C-shape when disturbed.
What you'll see
Cutworms feed on blossoms and leaves of many ornamental plants and attack most garden crops. They clip off seedling stems near or just below the soil level.
What to do
Cutworms are pests mainly in the spring. Destroy crop residues; keep garden weed-free in winter.
Source
Snails and Slugs
What you'll see
Snails and slugs feed on a variety of living plants and on decaying plant matter. They create irregular holes with smooth edges on leaves and flowers by scraping with their rasp-like tongues.
What to do
It will not be possible to eliminate some shelters, such as low ledges on fences, the undersides of wooden decks, and water meter boxes, so make a regular practice of trapping and removing snails and slugs from these areas. The survivors congregate in the remaining shelters, where you can more easily locate and remove them.
Source

Diseases1

Botrytis Rot (gray Mold) on Artichokes
What you'll see
The fungus that causes gray mold invades flower bracts that have been damaged by insects, snails or slugs, frost, or other factors. Infected bracts turn brown on the outside.
What to do
The fungus survives on decaying organic matter. Remove infected plant parts and protect plant buds from damage caused by invertebrates.
Source

Sources

Every figure above is backed by these.

  • UC Master Gardeners, San Mateo–SF Countiesbacks plantingWindow, startMethod · Foggy & Sunny calendars; Artichoke (root) planted Jan-Mar and Oct-Nov. Start method: Foggy & Sunny calendars, Artichoke: set out as roots/plants, never listed as sown in place.
  • Golden Gate Gardening (Pam Peirce)backs plantingWindow, sunlight, lifecycle, harvestStyle · Peirce's Foggier/Sunnier planting-times charts; artichoke rootstock timing and full-sun preference. Habit and harvest: perennial, over-a-period — from this source's entry for this crop.
  • UC Master Gardeners, Santa Clara County (Containers)backs soilDepth · Artichoke listed among deep-rooted crops reaching 1-6 ft.
  • UC Master Gardeners, Sonoma County (Planting Summary)backs daysToMaturity, inRowSpacing, rowSpacing, startMethod · Vegetable Planting Summary, Artichokes row: 130-190 days, 24-48 in in-row spacing. Between-row spacing 72-90 in (Artichokes row). Start method: Vegetable Planting Summary, Artichokes row: method T (usually transplanted).
  • Cornell CALS Vegetable Growing Guidesbacks germination, growthHabit · Cornell Garden-Based Learning globe artichoke (seed): germination temperature 70–80°F; days to emergence 8–12. Growth habit: guide lists Height '3 to 6 feet', Spread '2 to 4 feet', an upright plant forming a spreading mass — habit upright (self-supporting); height 36–72 in (3–6 ft).
  • USDA GRIN Taxonomybacks botany
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extensionbacks plantingDepth · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (artichoke), started from seed: 'Plant the seeds 1/4 inch deep in potting mix.' Matches the seed-propagation model (crown-division field depth would not).
  • UC Master Gardeners, Santa Clara Countybacks startMethod · Start method: Planting chart: Artichoke carries a Transplant row only (no direct-seed row); From seed to transplant 12 weeks.