Artichoke
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus
Globe artichoke is a cool-season rosette usually grown from transplants rather than direct seed in short seasons. Large plants need full sun, generous spacing, and a long window of roughly 85–150 days after transplanting before buds reach harvest size. In colder regions, annual varieties or an early indoor start help plants finish before hard frost.
Plant family Asteraceae · Also called globe artichoke
Explore this profile
Jump directly to the growing detail you need.
Start early for a long cool season.
Start seed indoors about 8–10 weeks before the last spring frost at roughly 0.6 cm depth, then transplant outdoors from the frost date through about two weeks after it. Germination often takes 10–21 days and benefits from warm, bright indoor conditions.
Light frost tolerance allows slightly earlier outdoor establishment than tender summer crops, but young transplants still need hardening. The key tip notes that cold climates may require annual types or a deliberate cool period before planting out so buds form reliably.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Reserve ground for a wide rosette.
Allow 90–120 cm between plants and about 120 cm between rows. Rosette plants spread widely and shade neighboring crops if crowded.
Containers need at least 45 cm of depth and about 75 litres of medium per plant. Large space need reflects both leaf spread and the deep root system that supports summer bud development.
Core measurements
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.
Install support early when it is required or useful.
Keep moisture even through bud set.
Eight hours of direct sun per day is preferred under the full-sun label. Shaded sites produce weak growth and few usable buds.
Moderate water need corresponds to 25–35 mm weekly with soil pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Water deeply when the upper 2–3 cm of soil begins to dry, keeping moisture even while buds swell.
Sunlight
Full sun preferred (8+ direct-sun hours/day)
Soil pH
A suitable acidity range for general growth.
Weekly water
Moderate water need.
Aim for even moisture and water deeply when the upper 2-3 cm of soil begins to dry.
Harvest buds before bracts open.
The 85–150 day range is counted from transplanting, not from indoor sowing. Pick buds while bracts are still tight and the base feels firm.
Harvest basis is transplanting. Plants may behave as perennials in mild climates, but many home gardens treat them as a single-season crop when winters are severe.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
In cold climates, use annual varieties or provide a cool period before planting out.
Artichoke growing questions
Why start artichoke indoors so early?
The profile lists an 8–10 week indoor window before the last frost so transplants are large enough for the long days-to-harvest range after planting out.
How much space does an artichoke plant need?
Plan for 90–120 cm between plants and 120 cm between rows, or a container with at least 45 cm depth and about 75 litres of soil.
When are artichoke buds ready to cut?
Harvest roughly 85–150 days after transplanting while buds are still closed and before bracts begin to open and toughen.
What does the key tip mean for cold gardens?
It suggests using annual varieties or providing a cool period before transplanting when winters are too short for reliable bud formation.
Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S1,S2,S4. Local climate and variety can change actual results.
Explore another crop
Compare artichoke with other vegetables, herbs, and fruits in Crop Brief.
Browse all 50 crops