Artichokes make fruit aka bloom in their second year so it is important to give them at least a week of cold nights if you are starting them from seed. This tricks them into thinking that they have gone through a winter in So. Cal. and are now 2 years old and then they will bloom for you.
I grew Emerald Globe from seed 2 years ago and they were smaller than the supermarket artichokes but so much better tasting and super tender. I covered them with a heavy layer of straw after the first frost but they didn't come up the next spring.
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