I have no advice, but I think that backyard artichokes are a very cool concept. I always like driving past the artichoke fields south of here.

They're very cool if you have the space for them- pretty and a great jungle for the cats to play in, they're so huge!

Do you know which variety she planted? Also, describe the "funny" taste.

Artichokes do best when they're left alone. I mean, really left alone. Don't even look at them when you go into the yard. If you do, they get paranoid.

My guess is that they got too much care (especially if they were fed or fertilized) or too much water. Either could affect the 'fruit.'

Well they didn't get any water, but the soil they're in is pretty good. Maybe they got too much nutrition.

She described the taste as "extra weedy, like alfalfa."

I don't know the variety.

The Western Garden Book doesn't have a lot of advice. It says to water deeply once a week, harvest buds "while they are still tight and plump."

It seems unlikely that your mom ended up with one of the wild (feral?) varieties that grow all over CA but aren't all that tasty, but maybe....

I'll quit now. I don't really have anything else to add.

Nope, she bought them from the nursery. Maybe the soil's too rich. Maybe they don't taste good for a couple years. Who knows.