The tale of artichokes at our compound is a twisted story with great highs and desperate gopher devoured lows. This season is yet another tale of woe. I relied on the fruits of the Altadena farmer's market for the delectable pictured above. The artichoke is so delicious, that even when I say that's it! No more. I give up. I taste the meaty heart dipped in a lemon and olive oil dressing, raise my head like Scarlett O'Hara and proclaim, "As God is my witness, I will grow artichokes again!"
Watch out gophers, I got my eye on you, and although I am a vegetarian, I might not be above a gopher stew with the small skulls torn from carrion and placed on sticks surrounding my artichoke plants, the journey to my own heart of darkness.
But before that, I think best to try again with wire baskets and Exhart gopher repellers and perhaps record my guitar practice and pipe it under ground to drive the artichoke eating thieves crazy.
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I have grown artichokes quite successfully in big DEEP containers, like those giant black plastic nursery pots that trees come in (or wood barrels, if you don't like plastic.) You have to water a bit more often, but it's a good way to keep the varmints away from the roots.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea, Sue. I think we'd need to use plastic or ceramic/terra cotta as we've had gophers completely eat through the bottom of oak barrels to get to tomatoes.The barrel was about 1 1/2" thick. Varmints!
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