Each year is a new beginning in the Garden. It is the small area band the same beds but they are all are different in their own way. Every year I like to challenge myself with new techniques and try new vegetables. It might be a new variety that came out. I have a few for his year or just trying an heirloom for this area. I am planning on trying some here. What I really need to do is to keep better records This year I have made data sheets for many of the vegetables and will make some more. This will create more work for me but I will be able to keep a record of each vegetable or grain and especially get better records of the harvest. This will help me to decide if I really want to keep growing a certain variety or should I find one better suited for this area.
The main challenge for this year that I have never tried is growing Globe Artichoke I lived at one time near Castroville, California, Here you will find acres and acres of artichokes. In this are the can grow the perennial plants because they will service the winters. Here in Kansas the plant will not survive the winter but you can turn the artichoke into a annual. The trick is to fool the the plants that they are two years old in one year. So I will start the plants inside in a warm environment and the move them to a cold frame when it no longer gets below 25 degrees F. It is called verbalization in horticulture The first six weeks of cool temperatures make them think they went thought their first winter.At about 12 weeks I will transplant them into the garden and hope they think they are in the second year and therefore it is time to flower. Imperial star has been bred for this production so I am hoping for good results.
http://kansamuse.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/pad20121.png
It’s a good way to “fool” a plant in order to have a good harvest, good for you.