Potatoes and onion sets begin shipping in late
March.
From early May through October 31, items shipping from
our garden seeds warehouse ship twice a week, usually
Tuesday and Thursday. For quickest turnaround
time order online by noon Monday or Wednesday.
We will not be fulfilling seed orders from May
20 - May 22 while we do physical inventory count. Orders
placed by Monday, May 19 at 10am will be shipped before
the break. We will resume normal order fulfillment on
Friday, May 23.
Items shipping from our growing supplies warehouse take 7-10 business days to process.
Cynara scolymus (120 days from transplant) Open-pollinated. A harvest of beautiful artichokes is well worth the fuss of persuading this Mediterranean biennial into behaving like an annual. The plant-breeding efforts of Wayne Schrader and Keith Mayberry of California Cooperative Extension made this delicious flowerbud accessible to northern gardeners in 1991. In New England, plants tend to bear 2–4 chokes during cool fall weather; however, with climate change, our plants in central Maine are tending toward 6–8 chokes per plant, closer to West Coast standards. Left to bloom, the buds open into massive otherworldly blue flowers that dry well. Overwintering with care is possible in mid-Atlantic states. Caution: May not produce in Zone 4 and colder. ③
From early May through October 31, items shipping from
our garden seeds warehouse ship twice a week, usually
Tuesday and Thursday. For quickest turnaround
time order online by noon Monday or Wednesday.
We will not be fulfilling seed orders from May
20 - May 22 while we do physical inventory count. Orders
placed by Monday, May 19 at 10am will be shipped before
the break. We will resume normal order fulfillment on
Friday, May 23.
Culture: The artichoke is a biennial, requiring trickery in the North to induce production of its edible flower buds. Follow these instructions for vernalization:
Start seeds indoors in mid-February and grow on at around 70° during the day and 50° at night. When night temps no longer drop more than a few degrees below freezing (mid-April to mid-May in the Northeast), move seedlings to an unheated greenhouse or cold frame to harden off. Keep them well ventilated and as cool as possible without freezing. Plants (both seedlings and mature) can tolerate light frosts but not hard ones. (If this hardening-off regimen is not feasible, try to time transplanting so plants receive 7–10 days of 45–50°.) After danger of frost has passed, set plants out 3' apart in rows 4' apart. Incorporate generous amounts of compost or aged manure. A balanced fertilizer is beneficial. Plants need at least 1" of water per week. Mulch with hay or IRT mulch. Row covers help hasten maturity.
Germination Testing
For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.
Our Seeds are Non-GMO
All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.
This item is certified organic