okay, seems like every time the artichoke plant's leaves get to a certain size, the end nearest the stalk shrivels and has to be removed.this plant should be as big as me by now, but we gotta keep on removing the larger leaves. any ideas? would it help to put it in a wire tomato support thing? it gets a.m. sun til about noon or so. (we tried to put it in brighter sun, but it almost fried)

We would love to see blooms on it next year,but we won't the way it's going.................................................. boohoo