Artichoke Gros Vert de Laon

Artichoke Gros Vert de Laon is a hardy variety, well adapted to cool regions. Also known as 'cat's head', this variety produces large green heads with a delicate flavour. Plant it in spring (or in autumn in regions with mild winters) and harvest from May to August. The plant will remain productive for approximately 4 years.

The artichoke, like the cardoon, has large, finely cut, silver-grey leaves. At the end of the stems, green or purple heads form, which can be consumed raw or cooked depending on the variety. If you let them bloom, you will get very decorative blue-violet flowers. Artichokes can be grown in the vegetable garden or the garden as an ornamental plant. At maturity, artichokes can reach a height of 1 to 1.50 metres (3 to 5 feet), with a width of about one metre. If you protect the base during winter, you can harvest artichokes for several years. It is the base of the bracts and the heart that is normally eaten. Some varieties can be eaten raw when the heads are small, but most artichokes need cooking, usually steaming.

Harvesting: Harvest the heads from May to August, before flowering when they are perfectly formed, with the lower bracts starting to open. Cut cleanly with a knife or secateurs, leaving a 10 cm (4in) stem.

Storage: Artichokes should be consumed quickly after harvesting. They can also be preserved.

Gardener's tip: Since artichokes are a nutrient-demanding vegetable, they are best planted after a crop of peas, beans, or broad beans. These belong to the legume family and enrich the soil with nitrogen. Since artichokes grow quite slowly, you can plant fast-growing vegetables like lettuce nearby.