All Choked Up!!

 

 

Artichokes are grown for their tender, edible flower buds. They have large, silvery-green leaves and thick stems. They're really quite impressive. I always love driving through the vast fields of artichokes in Castroville.  It seems like an endless sea of artichokes, all standing up straight and tall like soldiers in a row.  While most people might grow artichokes for the tasty treats sitting on top of the stems I’ve also seen several gardens where they are grown ornamentally.   The bright purple flowers are stunning and make an interesting addition to the perennial garden.

Artichoke plants are incredibly easy to grow.  They thrive best where winters are mild and summers are warm.  They do like a bit of summer fogginess, but to be honest, they do quite well here in the heat of the San Fernando Valley. They can produce harvests for up to 5 years. I cut my plants back each winter and they are full and lush by Spring.   In colder climates, you have to treat them as annuals and re-plant in the Spring. 

Buy artichoke plants at the local nursery after the last danger of any frost. Artichokes grow best in rich, well-drained soil. Choose a site that gets full  sun.  Plants grow to be  4- to 5 feet tall so be sure they are sited where their shade won’t be harmful to any other plants. 

When you plant artichokes, dig the soil deeply, and add plenty of organic matter. I always put two large handfuls of fertilizer in the hole when I plant. I also add two tablespoons of John and Bob’s Soil Optimizer.  This helps get the nutrients in the fertilizer to the plant faster, aids in water retention and helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the soil.  I don’t plant anything without my John and Bob’s.    After artichokes are established and new growth appears, fertilize plants once a month. Keep soil moist throughout the growing season. Artichokes are heavy feeders and you can also apply a high-potassium fertilizer every 2 weeks during periods of active growth to encourage flower buds to form.

Harvest artichokes before the buds start to open and they're still green and tight. The central bud usually ripens first.  The side buds are usually smaller and ripen later.

We're in the middle of artichoke season and I’m harvesting every day.  One of the easiest and most delicious ways to enjoy them is with a simple lemon and olive oil emulsion. Let me know how you like it…

Grilled Artichokes with Lemon and Olive Oil

1 lemon, cut in half

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Several small artichokes (this recipe will make enough for about 12 small or 6 large artichokes)

Squeeze juice from lemon halves into bowl of cold water. Cut stems off artichokes, leaving about 1 inch. Snap off bottom 3 rows of leaves. Cut off tips of artichokes and trim tops of remaining leaves. Halve artichokes lengthwise. Scrape out chokes. Place in lemon water.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add artichokes and boil until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain; pat dry. If preferred, you can steam the artichokes until just tender.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Slowly add oil to1/3 cup lemon juice, combining with a whisk in small bowl. Brush artichokes with some of dressing. Grill until tender and charred in spots, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to serving bowl or platter. Season remaining olive oil/lemon mixture with salt and pepper as desired. Pour dressing into small bowl and serve alongside grilled artichokes.

This is the time of year that we're planting our tomato seedlings outside.  In just a couple of months those tomato plants will tower over most of us and some will reach 7 to 10 feet in height!  Add to that, the plants will hopefully be heavy with ripening fruit and you'll understand why tomato plants definitely need support - lots of it!

I support my tomatoes both at the center trunk and with some type of tomato cage to help hold the branches and fruit.  My rule is that as soon as I plant, I put a tall stake in the soil about 3 inches away from the center of the plant. Don't wait to put the stakes in later. They could disturb and harm the  large root system that is developing.

While they can sometimes be difficult to find, I like to use the metal spirals as stakes. If I'm careful and very attentive I can somewhat train the plants to go up the spiral and reduce the amount of tying I have to do.  I also often use the plastic coated metal stakes that are easily found at every nursery and garden center.  You'll notice I haven't said anything about redwood stakes...that's because I never use them! They rot and break, especially under the pressure of a heavy tomato plant.

There are a variety of wire cages available that are used to support tomatoes.  You'll see just some of them in the photo above.  Remember the old school tomato cages we used to buy?

Well, in truth they are not very effective when used with tomatoes.  They were designed for the cut flower market and while they can be terrific at corralling Chrysanthemums they will surely be crushed by the weight of a full grown tomato plant.

These green steel cages are quite sturdy and they blend in with the plants so they don't become an eyesore. They are reasonably priced and easy to manage. My preference is something taller as my plants definitely grow taller than these cages.

I grow several tomatoes in 15-gallon containers and many cages will not fit inside of them.  For those, I make cages using hardware cloth. It's  simple enough to make them although the rolls of wire (hardware cloth) are heavy and difficult to handle on your own.  I don't recommend this type of cage for plants growing in the ground as they are not stable, especially in times of extreme wind.

My favorite cages are Texas Tomato Cages.  They come in two pieces so they're easy to manage.  There are two-foot extensions that can be placed on top for additional height.  While a six-foot cage is usually tall enough there are always one or two plants that outgrow them.  The Texas Cages have long spikes at the bottom so they remain firm once placed in the ground.  Best of all, these cages fold flat for storage when they're not in use...they definitely can be used for peas and other climbing crops.

  I must warn you...Texas Tomato Cages are not inexpensive but they are worth every penny.  They will last forever and will be the only tomato cages you'll ever need.

Confetti Cabbage Salad

Having an abundance of red cabbage in the garden  reminded me of a recipe that I got a long time ago.  A dear friend from college shared it with me. It's become a family favorite that we enjoy on many occasions.

Confetti Cabbage Salad

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup sesame seeds

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

8 green onions (finely chopped)

1 head red cabbage (chopped)

Carefully brown almonds and sesame seeds in 2 tablespoons oil. Watch them closely as nuts and seeds tend to burn quickly.  Drain on a paper towel and allow to cool.

Make Dressing:

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

Using a whisk combine ingredients to make dressing.

Toss cabbage with nuts, sesame seeds and almonds, and dressing together.