Sunday, May 01, 2011

Artichoke row

Our artichokes are coming back beautifully this year. I wonder if it has to do with the early spring? But it's been relatively dry, so I'm not so sure. These are the remaining three of five plants that we put in in 2007. They produce chokes, but they're not very big and we don't eat them. Still, they look pretty in the yard, especially when they flower.

Artichokes along our garden walkway. I wonder how much longer they'll last?

In addition to the weeds, there are chives, parsley, and mint growing in between the artichokes. At the end of the row you can see one of the clumps of red peonies that's now flowering. Callie's checking out the smells before we head out the back gate for our morning walk.

That dark pile of wood in the path next to Callie are some of the dead grape vine trunks that she brings back from her walks. Each day she'll pick one up (the vineyard workers pull the dead ones and pile them up out there) and carry it home. It's her job.
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11 comments:

  1. Craig01 May, 2011 13:55

    I can just imagine the pile of old vines getting larger and larger as Callie brings them back!

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  2. Anonymous01 May, 2011 14:18

    Is Callie contributing to your winter woodpile? Do you/can you burn the grapevine trunks?

    BettyAnn

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  3. Evelyn01 May, 2011 14:40

    Our grand dog Rosie loves to carry sticks also. I bet a grape vine would be fun between her teeth- a good taste for sure.

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  4. Rick Bettencourt01 May, 2011 15:11

    That's cute that Callie has her own little job. Dogs love to be useful like that.

    Love the artichoke plants.

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  5. Ur-spo01 May, 2011 15:31

    When I gardened, I never got around to artichokes.
    I had a rule: grow things that 'taste better homegrown' or were hard to find. Do home grown chokes taste any different than store boughts?

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  6. A Lewis01 May, 2011 16:59

    I haven't had one in years. On the Rick Steves travel show last night they were in Tuscany and the whole table was being passed artichokes.....

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  7. Mike, Studio City01 May, 2011 18:57

    I think I will plant artichokes in time for next spring. They grow very well here.

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  8. Starman01 May, 2011 21:28

    Maybe this year they'll be edible.

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  9. Stephen02 May, 2011 00:14

    Dogs really like to have a job. Mine have a duty to sit on pillows & chase small critters.
    I love artichokes & cardoons in the garden, but we now have a shade garden, after planting 15 trees a decade ago.
    I always look forward to spending time on your spot on the Internet.
    Best wishes to the 4 of you!

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  10. Ron02 May, 2011 05:34

    One of the joys of spring is seeing the herbs come again. My parsey, chives, and rosemary are thriving. Pictures soon. Again Walt, your photos give me inspiration to share my garden. Yours looks so wonderful. Did I tell you that I used to cat sit for a cat also named Callie? What are the odds of that happening? I'll send you a picture when I get home. I'm traveling in the South right now.

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  11. wcs02 May, 2011 08:17

    craig, and that it does! We have a ton of them piled out behind the garden shed.

    bettyann, yes! They're great for bbqs and I do burn some in the wood stove.

    evelyn, she loves them!

    rick, especially border collies. :)

    michael, ours don't. But I don't do anything special like fertilize. They're just kind of there, but they're maintenance-free (a little water when it's dry).

    alewis, I love artichokes and try to eat them when the prices are good.

    michael, they seem to like coastal areas, don't they!

    starman, we'll see, but I'm not counting on it.

    stephen, those are good jobs! Thanks!

    ron, cool!

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