Spanish Artichoke

In contrast to the normal artichoke, the heart of the Spanish vegetable artichoke is not eaten, but rather the fleshy leaf stalks with their spicy and nutty taste as a traditional late-stemmed vegetable. The vigorous cultivated plant reaches a stature height of up to two meters, shows large leaves, the characteristic thickened petioles and from July to September its numerous, dark purple and up to 15 centimeters large flowers. With its large flowers, the plant looks attractive in any ornamental flower bed and is also ideal for making dry bouquets and table decorations. For this purpose, the flowers are simply harvested with the stem and loosely placed in a vessel and dried, whereby the stem should not touch the bottom of the vessel.

Natural habitat
The Spanish artichoke originally comes from the Mediterranean region. In Germany it was a well-known vegetable until the end of the 19th century and you can still find recipes for it in many older cookbooks.

Cultivation
Growing the seeds indoors is possible all year round, but for a harvest in the sowing year it is advisable to sow the seeds indoors between January and March and to prefer the plants. Simply sprinkle the seeds on a moist sowing substrate and cover the seeds only lightly. Keep the growing medium moist, but not wet, by moistening it with a spray bottle. Cover the cultivation vessel with cling film, which you have provided with holes. This protects the earth from drying out. Every two to three days you should remove the film for 2 hours. This prevents mold from forming on the potting soil. Place the cultivation vessel in a light and warm place with a temperature between 20 ° and 24 ° Celsius and keep the cultivation soil moist, but not wet.

Location
The Spanish artichoke loves a sunny location that is as sheltered from the wind as possible.

Care
The plant loves nutrient-rich, well-drained soil because it needs a lot of water, but does not tolerate waterlogging. Fertilize once in August with nettle manure or another nutrient-rich fertilizer.

Winter
The Spanish artichoke is normally not overwintered in culture and is grown from seed every year. Once placed in the ornamental bed, however, you can protect them with brushwood and, in case of severe frost, with a garden fleece.