I’m looking for more diversity for pod radishes and for artichokes. For pod radishes, I can only seem to find two types; a generic “rat tail” type, and a “madras” type. Similarly, there only seem to be a few heirloom artichoke varieties out there. Does anyone know of sources for more diversity?
Cultivariable has a whole bunch of different types at least six the last time I checked
I think cultivariable only has Jerusalem artichoke; I’m looking for the “thistle-style” artichokes.
I have tried a few and found the cardoon type to be the best performing one. It’s like a predecessor to artichoke, but way more robust. It doesn’t mind mild frosts, is around for nine month a year, and my first grown one has been around for 5 years.
The différence i notice is as well they produce more flowers. If i let them go, endresult is smaller flowers. Maybe they have bred for les but bigger flowers. I wouldn’t know, they’re not great performers in my poor acidy granite soils.
Their seeds are hellish to remove. I’ve had succès with a screwdriver, but as well i found just throwing them out in winter worked. In spring they water bloat and then they kind of pop out of their normally tight nit seats.
Hundreds of seeds and good germinating rates.
A life long muncher of artichoke flower heads has told me they’re just as good as artichokes. If you dont mind a bit smaller…
So yeah i will breed with them a bit more with artichokes, using their seeds only. Which can have crossed with Cardoons. They need being worked on artichokes. Where i am at least.
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I’m working on artichokes in zone 5 NY. Mostly I bring the roots in for the winter, though some survive outdoors with heavy mulch or with a black car-tire around them to trap some warmth. I also have a giant cardoon that does well outdoors year round. I cook the young stalks in tomato sauce with green olives. A little bitter but yummy over rice. The flower buds are tasty but it take an hour to get through one head 
I don’t think I’ll be crossing my artichokes with it… unless the bees decide otherwise. I’m interested in swapping seeds with other cold climate artichoke growers!
If our artichokes come up and do well this year, I’ll happily swap seeds with you! 
This is our first year growing them though, so there isn’t anything ‘cool’ about them other than I seeded them back in March and want to see if they can tolerate that kind of lifestyle and persevere.
5b NH - we’re right next door 
As for pod radishes, I thought @MarkReed had some growing in his garden.
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Thanks for the suggestions! Maybe we can get an artichoke landrace going.
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We should definitely swap! Last year my artichokes didn’t have enough time to develop seed but I have more of them going this year and I’m hoping to collect seeds!
As per the pod radishes, I grew rattail for a few years and it was a lovely, productive plant but I only used them to make quick pickles and was concerned about them crossing with my other brassicas. Volunteers keep coming up here and there in the garden tough
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When I grew daikon a few years ago, I ate those pods. Spicy pod friends. Very fun to eat pickled!
Hopefully mine are able to produce seed this year. 
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My artichokes this year did incredibly poorly. Last time I was home, I think there was one scraggly plant left standing. Hubs said they’ve been struggling really hard to grow and have had some pest pressure that they haven’t been able to overcome. 
How are yours doing? Hopefully better!
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Same here! Very wet and cold summer has been bad for the artichokes. Don’t think I’ll get any seeds this year… Will be bringing them indoors in late October and continue the adventure next year. Will have lot’s of pod radish seeds though!
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