Pollinating Artichoke Plant: A Comprehensive Guide to Boosting Yield

Pollinating your artichoke plant is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure a bountiful harvest from your garden. While artichokes will produce some buds without pollination, proper pollination leads to larger, tastier artichokes and significantly higher yields. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about pollinating artichoke plants for maximum productivity.

Why Pollination is Crucial for Artichokes

Artichokes, like most flowering plants, require pollination in order to develop seeds and fruit The artichoke that we eat is actually the immature flower bud of the artichoke plant. Pollination occurs when pollen grains are transferred from the male part of the flower (the stamen) to the female part (the stigma) This enables fertilization of the plant’s ovaries and triggers the production of seeds.

Even if the seeds don’t fully develop, pollination stimulates the plant to funnel nutrients into growing large tasty artichoke buds. Without adequate pollination your artichoke plants will form smaller buds and have a lower overall yield.

How to Pollinate Artichoke Plants

There are two main techniques for pollinating artichoke plants: natural pollination using bees and other pollinators, and manual hand-pollination.

Natural Pollination

In natural pollination, insects visit the artichoke flowers and inadvertently transfer pollen between them. Honeybees are the most efficient pollinator of artichokes, but other bees, wasps, butterflies, and flies can also contribute.

To encourage pollinators in your garden:

• Plant flowers among or near your artichokes to provide nectar and pollen. Good choices include lavender, cosmos, sunflowers, and bee balm.

• Provide a shallow water source like a bird bath, water garden, or irrigation overflow. Bees need water.

• Avoid applying pesticides while the artichokes are in bloom. Insecticides harm pollinators.

• Consider adding bee boxes or artificial nesting sites for native pollinators.

With adequate habitat, you can rely fully on natural pollination methods. Monitor pollinator visits during the bloom period to ensure their presence.

Hand Pollination

For the highest fruit set, many growers supplement natural pollination with hand pollination. This involves manually transferring pollen between flowers using a small brush, cotton swab, or fingertips.

To hand pollinate artichokes:

• Wait until flower buds form but haven’t opened.

• Gently pry apart the bracts and locate the stamen and stigma.

• Collect pollen from the stamen by brushing it or touching it with a fingertip.

• Transfer the pollen to the stigma of another unopened flower bud.

• Repeat this process systematically for every bud, crossing between different plants.

• Pollinate every 2-3 days while the plants are blooming.

Hand pollination takes more time and effort but guarantees effective pollen transfer. It helps overcome factors like cool temperatures, low humidity, and lack of pollinators that can limit natural pollination.

When to Pollinate Artichokes

• Begin checking for flower buds 4-6 weeks after transplanting seedlings or 6-8 weeks after sprouting from seed.

• Hand pollinate when the buds reach nickel or quarter size but before the bracts start opening.

• Pollinate in the morning when pollen is most viable and stigma are most receptive.

• Repeat every 2-3 days throughout the bloom period, which lasts 3-5 weeks.

• Stop pollinating once petals emerge between the bract tips, signaling buds are mature.

Timing is critical. Pollinating too early won’t be effective but waiting until buds open results in failed fertilization.

Growing Conditions that Maximize Pollination

Proper care and favorable growing conditions promote abundant blooms and successful pollination:

• Plant in full sun. Artichokes thrive with 8+ hours of direct sunlight daily.

• Fertilize monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer to encourage bloom production.

• Consistent moisture is vital. Artichokes require 1-2″ of water per week.

• Allow ample spacing between plants to promote air circulation and accommodate size.

• Control weeds, diseases, and pests that stress plants and inhibit flowering.

• Wait 2-3 years before harvesting buds from young plants to allow extensive root growth.

Healthy, established artichoke plants with robust root systems bloom prolifically year after year.

Common Problems Affecting Pollination

Here are some potential issues that can interfere with successful pollination of artichoke plants:

• Cool temperatures below 65°F inhibit flower production and pollinator activity.

• Excess nitrogen fertilizer causes abundant foliage growth but fewer blooms.

• Insufficient sunlight due to overcrowding or shade limits flowering.

• Drought stress triggers early bud formation before pollination can occur.

• Pest damage such as leaf miner tunnels and aphid feeding reduces vigor.

• Diseases like botrytis, powdery mildew, and verticillium wilt inhibit flowering.

• Harsh weather including hail, wind, and heavy rain can damage delicate buds and flowers.

• Declining pollinator populations result in inadequate natural pollination.

Address cultural and environmental issues promptly to maintain healthy, productive plants.

Signs of Successful Pollination

How can you tell if your pollination techniques are working? Here’s what to look for:

• An abundance of plump, quarter-sized buds forming on multiple stalks.

• Minuscule dried pollen grains coating the stigma of hand-pollinated flowers.

• Willowy green bract tips emerging as the buds elongate and swell.

• Mature buds measuring 3-5” across at the widest point.

• A hollow thump when tapping larger buds, indicating seed development.

• 12+ chokes per mature, well-established plant.

Robust pollinated buds will grow rapidly in size until ready for harvesting. The hollow cavity also fills with the tender, edible heart.

Improving Future Pollination

At the end of each growing season, assess the productivity of your artichoke plants. Plants that didn’t yield well likely suffered from inadequate pollination. Troubleshoot by:

• Adding more pollinator-friendly flowers around the garden edges.

• Eliminating excess shade, fertilizer, or drought stress.

• Monitoring for diseases and pests and treating promptly.

• Improving air circulation with taller stakes and wider spacing.

• Hand pollinating diligently over the entire bloom period.

• Starting seeds earlier indoors for larger, more vigorous transplants.

Adjust your care and pollination practices as needed to maximize success next year. With the right enhancements, you can boost artichoke bud set and reap a hefty harvest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do artichoke plants live?

In ideal conditions, artichoke plants live 5 years or longer. They are herbaceous perennials in zones 7-10 but grown as annuals in colder climates.

What causes artichokes not to form heads?

Insufficient pollination typically causes failure to form heads. Other factors like overfertilizing, dense planting, pests, and diseases can also prevent head formation.

Should you cut back artichoke plants after harvest?

Yes, cut back the stem after harvesting the main head to just above a lower lateral bud. This encourages the plant to produce smaller secondary heads.

How close together should you plant artichokes?

Space artichoke plants 3-4 feet apart in rows spaced 5-6 feet apart. Wider spacing reduces competition and air circulation issues.

What is the best fertilizer for artichokes?

Use organic fertilizers like compost, aged manure, fish emulsion, or alfalfa meal. Fertilize when planting and monthly during spring and summer.

Conclusion

Paying close attention to pollinating your artichoke plants is one of the best investments you can make for a thriving, productive garden. A modest time commitment to hand pollination combined with inviting natural pollinators results in superior fruit set. Robust, abundant blooms and plump buds are signs your efforts are succeeding. By fine-tuning your growing conditions and pollination techniques, you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful artichoke harvest.