Have any of you grown these? They need vernalization, but days below 50 degrees F. with nights above 30 F. are few and far between! I've had 1/2 the seeds in the refrigerator for a month, so the induced vernalization for those plants is taken care of. But the other 1/2 I wanted natural vernalization for (I'm trying to see which works best for our climate). I've been putting them outside during the day, but many days it of course gets above 50. Then they go into the refrigerator at night. I thought this would be fine, but now I have to leave for a few weeks, so they are going to be in the house after only 10 days of being outside. I guess I'm wondering if this 240 hours will count, even though it's above 50 on some days for a few hours.

And if it isn't enough, will vernalization have to start over when I get back, or more hours of cold just added to what has already been done?

And finally, I'm wondering if in May, when I normally keep things in the greenhouse before setting them out in June, I should plant them out, or will they bear faster if they spend nights inside until night time temps get warmer?

I've actually grown artichokes once before, but someone else gave the plants to me...they had already done all the vernalization, and I don't even know which variety I had!