Globe Artichoke in Morpeth - when to harvest/how to cook?

[chickbob]

Despite going to mush over winter - astonished to have a lovely large head on my artichoke plant and 3 little one's.

How long should I leave before I pick - its already the size of a hand (small woman, not man) and the flower is tightly shut.

Also - not sure this relevant here, but how on earth to a cook them - will the smaller one's grow bigger and if I cut it now, will it grow more??

Quite excited to successfully grow these here in Morpeth!!! Saddo that I am - easily pleased!!

[taff]

you pick it before the 'petals' open, and steam, boil, eat raw, it's up to you...it should grow more, when you take the main one off, it sends out more to compensate, and it will go to mush over winter, stick some straw or something on top it this year, to protect it a bit...
How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke | Simply Recipes

and congratulations!

[Florence Fennel]

Congratulations from me too Chickbob. I've put in some Globe Artichokes this year amongst my perennial flowers, but they're not doing too well, I think they needed more water.

[chris]

There's some good prep videos on youtube if you want to get at the heart, too.

[chickbob]

I put ours in as a wind barrier on the edge of a large bed previously used for potatoes. Its solid clay, so we've added loads of manure and homemade compost - hardly ever watered them and to say they survived last winter, that's saying something.

Maybe not nutrient rich in your flower bed??

[1066]

Hi
I like to pick them when they are quite small, size of my hand as the chokes aren't at all stringy when small. If you like the outer leaves to be more fleshy then leave them till they get a bit bigger.
Ours have finished now, and I've left a few on to go to flower as I love seeing them on the plot

[Patchninja]

Don't bother cutting the tips of the leaves off. Waste of time and energy!
Delicious eaten hot dabbed onto a little butter, or cold dipped into vinaigrette. Here, they grow fairly big -like both hands cupped together - but then again here is artichoke-land.
I love them and congrats for growing them!

[Florence Fennel]

I put ours in as a wind barrier on the edge of a large bed previously used for potatoes. Its solid clay, so we've added loads of manure and homemade compost - hardly ever watered them and to say they survived last winter, that's saying something.

Maybe not nutrient rich in your flower bed??

You could be right, but I wonder if they would mind being moved? If so I'll have to remember to feed and water if they make decent plants.

[Florence Fennel]

I like the sound of leaving some to flower 1066, I bet they look brilliant.