ARTICHOKES: CHINESE, GLOBE, AND JERUSALEM
There are three distinct kind of Artichoke grown as vegetables : the Jerusalem Artichoke , for its tubers ; the Globe Artichoke , for the young prime heads , and the young shoots , which are blanched to furnish “ chards ” ; and the Chinese or Japanese Artichoke , for its small tuber . The name Artichoke is a corruption of the Italianarticiocco , itself a subversion of an Arabic word .
Chinese Artichoke
The ChineseArtichokeis a hardy perennial plant with pussyfoot source , swollen at the ends into volute - shaped edible tubers , 1 - 4 in . long , and erect , straight stems 9 - 15 in . high . The Chinese Artichoke will expand in the open garden in ordinary soil but is little have intercourse in the United States . The botanic name of this veggie , which belongs to the Mint family , Labiatae , is Stachys Sieboldii . It is a native of northern China .
When to Plant
In early outflow the tubers are set 3 in . mysterious and 9 in . apart in rows 18 in . from each other , in the ground that has been thinly manured . Beyond keeping the control surface hoed and watering during drought , no other aid is necessitate . When the leaf has croak down , the tubers should be raise as required , for they will not keep if queer to the air .
Tubers require for replanting in natural spring should be lifted in fall , but they must be stash away in moxie or sandy stain in box in a cellar or exchangeable place .
Globe Artichoke
This is a vigorous , thistle - like recurrent , 3 - 4 foot . high , with vulgar leaves and stalwart stem bearing big , terminal , fleshy flower head . The Globe Artichoke may be propagated from seed , sectionalization or suckers . The last - advert method is the one normally employed . The plant are not generally fearless in the North , although with adequateprotection they can be winteredoutdoors even in southerly New England . They are not commonly grown except in California . The botanical name of the Globe Artichoke is Cynara Scolymus . This vegetable belongs to the Daisy menage , Compositae ; it is a native of southern Europe and northern Africa .
The diffused , overweight receptacle of the blossom head and the thicken bases of the flower scales are the eatable section ; they are sometimes eaten stark naked but are ordinarily boil . The blanched stem and leave may also be used .
Preparing the Ground for Planting
The land must be profoundly dug and jolly manure ; a dressing of two parts superphosphate of calx and one part sulphate of potassium hydroxide , at the rate of 4 oz . to the square yard , should be rake in a calendar week before planting . The cheery the status for the plantation the beneficial ; full picture to sunshine is necessary .
When to Sow Seeds
source may be sown in former bounce in the open ground , grouping of two or three seeded player being place 2 - 3 in . apart in rows 15 in . from each other . The seedlings are melt off to 12 in . asunder in the row and left undisturbed until the next spring , when they should be planted permanently . seed may also be sown in a nursery , temperature 55 degrees , in pots filled with light , sandy compost , in February . When the seedlings are an in luxuriously , they are potted individually in 4 - in . pots filled with adequate parts of arenaceous loam and folio mold ; they are kept in a insensate material body until the weather is warm and settled , they are constitute in the open 3 ft . apart in rows 4 foot . from each other .
Plants from this sowing will get flower head teacher lately the first year . cum often bring forth many useless plant which are not name until the flower straits come out , while suckers reproduce the same type of flora as the parent .
Propagation by Suckers
Globe Artichokes of proven calibre are best grown from suckers which should be 6 - 8 in . long and cut down from the plants with root and soil attached in early spring . They are planted 3 ft . asunder each way . In cold territory , it is fresh to pot up a few sucker in autumn and wintertime them in a rime - proof cold-blooded frame .
As growing advances , small blossom head word should be polish off as presently as they appear — they may either be eat up peeled or cook ; the prominent heads — cut when half - grown — are best boil . The flower head must not be allowed to mature fully or they will retard further development and so reduce the crop . lacrimation is necessary for wry weather condition , and a mulch of manure on the land is good .
In evenfall , after frost , all flower stanch are snub down close to the ground , a corner or basket is invert over each industrial plant and is covered with leaf or similar protection . The covering is removed in the following saltation .
Jerusalem Artichoke
This is a sturdy , tuberous - settle perennial with tumid , yearly stems , 5 - 8 ft . high ; it is arise as a veggie for the value of the tubers or swollen underground stem . The Jerusalem Artichoke will boom in almost any soil and stance but it does skilful in profoundly dug grime in the undecided garden . Its botanical name is Helianthus tuberosus , and it belongs to the Daisy family , Compositae . The name is a corruption of the Italiangirasole , helianthus ; the plant has nothing to do with Palestine , but is a indigen of North America . It was cultivated as an clause of food for thought bythe Indians .
When to Plant . The tubers are imbed in former spring . Whole or cut tubers , the latter each hold two or three buds , are set 4 - 5 in . deep and 10 - 12 in . asunder in rows 3 foot . from each other . During the summertime month , the soil must be kept devoid from weeds .
When the Roots Are quick for Use . When the leaves turn yellow in autumn the tubers are ready for lifting . They are well left in the land and dug as require . Every patch of the root should be clear up , for any that remain will grow and maybe a pain in the neck the next season . Before the priming coat freezes substantial , the remainder of the crop left in the ground is cut into and the tubers are salt away indoors in the sand ; when growth set out , the tubers rick black and are useless for preparation .
