Artichoke Update

      I harvested another artichoke yesterday, and have noticed even more little ones coming along.  It has been fun having a new plant in the garden, especially one as different as the artichoke.

Artichoke picked,  6/3/2012

      This is the fifth choke that has been picked, three others similar to it, and the first larger one from the central stem.  It is kind of upside down harvesting, as you pick from the top first then work your way down the plant to the younger chokes.  You can see a smaller choke off to the right, and a little tiny one is forming right at the bottom of this picture above the ..ed.. in the picture caption.  Even the smaller one on the right has a little bitty new one forming in a leaf junction below it.

      Here you can see the tiny choke forming at the base of the stem of the larger choke.  The cut stem to the left was the main stem.  I have read that the plant will put out off shoots at the bottom which will grow into new plants next year.  So far I am still waiting for those.  I purchased an artichoke at the store a couple of days ago.  It will be interesting to do a taste test between the two.  Mine is certainly fresher.