THERE aren’t many vegetable seeds you can sow in January, but globe artichoke is worth trying if you’re able to maintain an even temperature of around 55-60°F (13-15°C). If not, leave them until March or April.

Whenever you start, put each seed singly in a three-inch (7.5cm) pot, about a fingernail’s depth in seed compost, in a place with plenty of natural light.

Keep the compost just the moist side of dry, because artichoke seeds are large and can rot rather easily if they stay wet for too long.

The seedlings grow quite quickly, and in late spring you’ll need to gradually acclimatise them to the outside world.

Stand the pots outside for a few hours on frost-free days, giving them protection at night. In June the young plants should be ready for planting into their final positions.

I often say in this column that a particular vegetable is “not too fussy” about site and soil. That doesn’t apply in the present case.

Globe artichoke, to crop well and last for years, needs quite a precise set of conditions. The ground must be fertile, with a reasonable proportion of organic matter in it.

Good drainage is essential; waterlogging will kill the plant. The artichoke should be in a sunny spot, but also one that’s sheltered from strong winds.

And finally, it demands plenty of space — at least two feet (60cm) all the way round.

Don’t let globes dry out at any time during their lives, and especially in the early days. An annual spring mulch of garden compost around the plant will help with that.

During the first year it’s best to remove every flower bud that appears, so that the plant’s resources go into producing a root system rather than trying to set seed.

Globe artichokes aren’t considered reliably hardy in our climate. I’ve never lost one to winter weather, but I do live in the West Country.

To be on the safe side it’s worth covering the crown of the plant in early winter, having cut back all the stems, with several inches of straw or leaves held in place by chicken wire.

In areas with predictably harsh winters some gardeners like to take root cuttings from their artichoke and pot them up under cover, so they’ve got a replacement ready in the spring should the main plant not survive.

The summer flower buds are the part of the plant we eat. I like them best at golf ball size, when they can be cooked whole.

When they’re as big as cricket balls, they’re ready for using in the traditional way: removing the scales one by one, dipping them in sauce, and sliding the flesh off with your teeth.

Not really a recipe for a work night, perhaps.

As soon as the tightly packed scales begin to open, it’s too late to eat the buds. Leave them to produce their beautiful, showy flowers which will be thick with bees and other insects for the rest of summer.