Artichoke experiment

ZomVee

ZomVee

Well-known member
I miss homegrown artichokes, maybe you've seen me crying about it before...so I planted some Purple Romagna artichokes this summer with the goal of digging up the roots and seeing if I can overwinter the roots in my basement. If this works, then I'll have a way of explaining to people around me how to keep they're artichokes going when I sell them two year old roots. I'll definitely setup a greenhouse in the future, but I'd like to see if this experiment works.

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I ripped the leaves about 2 inches from the roots and shoved them all in a 15Gal pot and put that in a dark spot in my basement.
 
The goal is to see if it can be done as easily as possible. Maybe it doesn't work? But if someone can just stick a pitchfork and loosen around the roots, pull it up, stick it in a 15 gallon pot in the basement, I added some leaves, maybe I should water it once a week? I dunno, I would like to see if I could neglect it and it works out. A homegrown artichoke is a real treat.
 
If basement space is limited or to warm...... I've long admired the plastic barrel root cellar.


Or, if you want something more substantial and less prone to temp swings


I imagine it depends on how you're heating but for me I had some problems overwintering some plants because my basement is too dry.

Food for thought
 
TorontoJoe said:
If basement space is limited or to warm...... I've long admired the plastic barrel root cellar.


Or, if you want something more substantial and less prone to temp swings


I imagine it depends on how you're heating but for me I had some problems overwintering some plants because my basement is too dry.

Food for thought
Click to expand...
Thanks!

I was thinking about digging a hole in my North facing mini hill, making a makeshift root cellar sounds like a great idea.
 
ZomVee said:
Thanks!

I was thinking about digging a hole in my North facing mini hill, making a makeshift root cellar sounds like a great idea.
Click to expand...

If you have a hill and can move some earth, you're in a very good position..... You can go in sideways.... build the structure with almost anything and cover it up.

I saw one guy... dug out an area of a hill and buried a 20' shipping container to where just the doors were exposed.... Imagine you could do it with shorter as well... Another guy used a concrete septic tank.

I'm beginning to think you need an excavator.... I've always wanted one so bad... :)
 
TorontoJoe said:
If you have a hill and can move some earth, you're in a very good position..... You can go in sideways.... build the structure with almost anything and cover it up.

I saw one guy... dug out an area of a hill and buried a 20' shipping container to where just the doors were exposed.... Imagine you could do it with shorter as well... Another guy used a concrete septic tank.

I'm beginning to think you need an excavator.... I've always wanted one so bad... :)
Click to expand...
I got to play in one with a rock pounder attachment at a surface mine in San Diego. Got fired from that job, sliced a tire on a rock truck and the new boss hated me.

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I did drift down the mine with 90 tons of granite in the bed. It's like driving an apartment building around.
 
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I planted some ginseng seeds on the left side, this is an old pic, but it shows the snow that hasn't melted in the sun. The rock dig is behind the big oak tree on the right.

Should I make a Hobbit style root cellar? @TorontoJoe hahaha
 
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