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barefootgardener · September 25, 2015

Rouge D' Alger Cardoon. I have two plants, and this one has a five foot spread, from leaf to leaf. I started my seeds in pots three months before our last spring frost date. I exposed the young seedlings to the cool temperatures for a few weeks to "vernalize", even though I know Cardoon does not need this step to produce the flowers. The leaves are absolutely beautiful, and the stalks are pretty and have spines.. Not sure if my season is long enough to get any flowers this year, as we already had a light frost. I might cut the stalk back, and cover and protect over the winter to see if it comes back the following spring. I have a small one in a pot I will keep in my GH for the winter.

Ginny

September 25, 2015	#11
barefootgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan Zone 4b Posts: 1,291	Rouge D' Alger Cardoon. I have two plants, and this one has a five foot spread, from leaf to leaf. I started my seeds in pots three months before our last spring frost date. I exposed the young seedlings to the cool temperatures for a few weeks to "vernalize", even though I know Cardoon does not need this step to produce the flowers. The leaves are absolutely beautiful, and the stalks are pretty and have spines.. Not sure if my season is long enough to get any flowers this year, as we already had a light frost. I might cut the stalk back, and cover and protect over the winter to see if it comes back the following spring. I have a small one in a pot I will keep in my GH for the winter. Ginny