Artichoke

Artichoke: plant 90 cm (35 in) apart in the row and 120 cm (47 in) between rows, 1 plant per 9 squares. No known bad neighbours.

Key facts

Spacing in the row	90 cm (35 in)
Between rows	120 cm (47 in)
In a 30 cm (1 ft) square	1 plant per 9 squares
Sun	Full sun, 6–8 hours a day
Root depth	40 cm (16 in)
Height when grown	120 cm (47 in)
Crop rotation group	Herbs, flowers and perennials
Support	None needed

Sowing and germination

How it is started	Started in trays, by dividing a clump
Seeds per hole	1
Plants kept after thinning	1
Sowing depth	2 cm (0.8 in)
Soil temperature	from 10 °C, best 18–24 °C
Days to emerge	14–21 days
Light while germinating	Light makes no difference
Before sowing	nothing needed
When to plant	Indoors 8 weeks before the last frost; outdoors after the last frost; soil at least 8 °C

From seedling to plant

After emergence	15–20 °C; take the cover off as soon as they show
Pricking out	at 2 true leaves
Takes transplanting	Only with care, keep the root ball
Hardening off	10–14 days
Life cycle	Perennial
Cold tolerance	Tender, hurt by frost → takes a light frost
Soil	Rich, with compost, free draining, pH 6–7
In a pot	—
Watering	Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while growing
Feeding	Moderate; in spring, after harvest
Support and training	None needed

Harvest and planning

Days to first harvest	1–2 years, from planting
Ready when	The buds are still tight
Harvest window	Picked again and again, 4–8 weeks
Typical yield	1–2 kg per plant
Botanical family	Asteraceae
Watch out for	Slugs and snails, rust
First crop after	1–2 years
Pollination	Fruits on its own

Plan Artichoke in your garden

Open the free planner, drop Artichoke onto a bed and see how many plants fit.

Start Planning Your Garden

Sowing and harvest

Sow indoors	Feb–Mar
Plant out	May
Harvest	Aug–Oct

My dates for this crop

My country Last spring frost where I live

Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.

Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.

What to plant next to Artichoke →

From the same family

Plants of the Asteraceae family share diseases and pests, so they follow each other in the rotation only after a break.

Grown much the same way

Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.

Sources

The values on this page marked as checked come from these sources: spacing, sowing depth, germination, soil, timing and safety notes, each against the source named here.

How to grow globe artichokes — Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for: spacing in the row; checked 2026-10-31

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