A random experiment with an artichoke wintering at the Agroanalysis farm showed interesting results. On June 6 this year, the first harvest of an unusual culture took place, as reported by Vadim Dudka, the head and co-founder of the company, on his livejournal blog.

He illustrates his story about a new experience with photographs that show seven well-shaped baskets. The first pair of them has already reached ripeness for collection.

“A couple of baskets is a lot. This is 300 g per bush, and the density of artichoke planting is usually at least 10 thousand pcs / ha. So, the sampling potential of the first week of June is 3 t / ha, ”the specialist argues. “And this despite the fact that five more of the same will grow in the next ten days.”

For comparison, the usual (planted this spring) artichoke is still far from fruiting. For information, that “vegetable” that is eaten is an unopened basket of the future flower, which in mature form looks like a thistle.

More than 140 species of this plant have been studied by humans, but only about 40 are suitable for food. Currently, the artichoke grows in Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, South America and California.

A large number of artichokes is grown as a vegetable crop in France, Spain, Italy. Almost the entire artichoke that enters the US market is cultivated in California.