Artichoke
Artichoke is a perennial plant, which only loses its aerial part during the winter. It yields satisfactorily through 3-4 years. Outwardly, it resembles a thistle, but it has larger and more decorative leaves, so it can also be a decorative plant. In the first year after sowing, it produces a large rosette, often thorny leaves, with thick and wide petioles, in the second and subsequent years it produces shoots and flowers. The edible part of the plant is the inflorescences, in fact, the fleshy bases of the casing leaves of the basket and thick, succulent inflorescence bottom. Well-developed flower buds are harvested, before they start to part.
Artichoke requires fertile soil, deeply cultivated and fertilized annually with organic and mineral fertilizers, in doses po 30-40 g of superphosphate and 40% potassium salt per 1 m2 before planting and in early spring of each year before norrowing (raking norkos) and 20 g of calcium ammonium nitrate before planting, and then twice after 30 g saletry, at the latest in early August.
A greenhouse is necessary for the propagation of artichokes from cuttings. Artichoke propagated from sowing produces material that is not of equal quality. In February or March, after 2-3 seeds for pots, which are placed in a room with a temperature of 20 ° C. The plants are removed from the pots in the second half of May. You can also sow immediately in a quiet nesting field in May, po 2-3 seeds, in depth 5-6 cm, at a distance of 1X1 m. When the plants come out 5 leaves, only one is left in each nest, the strongest. To be filled 10 m2 required 2 g nasion.
The artichoke zagon needs to be weeded and watered in dry weather, especially in July and August, as buds develop. To get beautiful buds, unnecessary shoots should be removed (leaves are at most 3 shoots and 6-8 buds on the plant). Before frost sets in, cut the above-ground parts of the plants, and we cover their stumps with haulm or straw. We protect them against severe frosts, additionally covering with a layer of peat or light earth.
The most famous variety is Lyon Green, which seeds are imported. It is characterized by lush growth and buds with a wide flower bottom.