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Old 02-05-2008, 03:43 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
Omelet[_4_] Omelet[_4_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2008
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Default Are you 'breaking the rules' by growing fruit or vegetables in your flower beds?

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

"Omelet" wrote in message
news
In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

"Omelet" wrote in message newsmpomelet-



Globe artichokes, great geometric folliage for the ornamental
garden.

David

I've never been able to get artichokes to stay alive. :-( Not

even
potted 2 year old plants from the nursery...

What conditions do you give them? I live in South Central Texas
near
Austin.
--
--

Peace! Om


The climate here is warm temperate but can be very hot in summer
(100F
or
more
is fairly common) and cool in winter (around freezing) but it

never
snows
or
freezes. Artichokes quite like the cooler months here but go
backwards
when
it is very hot. They also dislike it when it is very dry and I

have
to
water
carefully then. The soil is heavy and fertile.

The flowers are also rather attactive but if you leave them go

that
long I
would have to come and scold you for inattention and carelessness.

David

I'm guessing the mistake I made then was leaving them in a pot. ;-)

I'd rarely let flowers mature. Too tasty! ;-d

I would guess it would be a good time to call the Ag advisor, to ask
what you can do to remediate your garden to the likes of an artichoke.

Probably a good idea. I did also once try putting them in one of the
raised garden beds. They still died.

North side of the house tho', they might not have gotten enough
sunlight. I should probably amend one of the "free" areas up front in
the driveway and try some there.

With water restrictions it's tough. The only idea I had was for misting
on particularly hot days.


Mm , good idea.

It needs to be kept wet then?
As a thistle, I was always afraid of overwatering them. Perhaps that is
what I did wrong???
--
--


It sounds like it to me. We often have hot dry summers and the 'chokes
struggle. This year we had a wet warm summer and they did fine while many
curcurbits, tomatos, etc suffered a multitude of fungal problems.

David


Time for me to give it another try. Thanks. :-)

I picked my first ripe plum tomato this morning. I planted a better boy
and a plum in one 30 gallon pot the first part of last November. I got
a few tomatoes in February. I had put the pot into the greenhouse to
protect it. The two vines are hyooge now and started setting about a
month ago. I'm hand fertilizing the blooms. I can do that with just two
plants. G

It really is time for me to move it out of there and re-stake it. It's
getting to be too big and falling over.
--
--

Peace! Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a Bitch."
-- Jack Nicholson