GROWING BURDOCK: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLANTING

I have to admit that when my wife said she wanted seeds to start growing burdock, I thought she was referring to a different plant. I’ve always considered burdock as a weed that is a threat wherever it grows, and I’ve even sprayed it a few times to get rid of it.

Now that we have been growing burdock for a few years, I am a convert. Burdock is a wonderful herb in my book. Not only is it really good for you, but it is more versatile than any other plant I know of. It can be used in many medicinal preparations, both internally and externally. Also, the roots are tasty.

Burdock has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and contains compounds that are antioxidants. You can eat the roots boiled, sautéed, or roasted. You will often find burdock leaves in Japanese cuisine, and Native Americans use the dried roots in winter stews.

There are about ten types of burdock, but only two are commonly grown. Once you can identify the burdock, you will see it everywhere.

If you’ve seen gobo root in the supermarket, this is another name for burdock. Gobo comes from Japanese cuisine, where burdock leaves, roots, and stems are widely used.

Great Burdock

> Large burdock can grow to about nine feet tall, especially when the plant is flowering. The stems are solid. The flowers are flat and grow in clusters that look like thistles.

Common burdock

The common burdock is smaller than the large burdock, and the flowers are petioleless or have very short stems. Unlike the great burdock, the stems are hollow. When the plants are large, this is the easiest way to differentiate between the two types.

How to grow burdock

Zones

Burdock grows well in zones 2-10 and is cold hardy. In most areas, it is considered a self-seeding weed.

Sun and soil requirements

Plant burdock in silty soil with a neutral pH between 6.6 and 7.5. Soft, loose soil is needed to harvest the roots. Burdock roots can be deep, so if you have solid, compact soil, they will be difficult to reach. I have had success mixing some sand and wood chips into the soil to keep it loose. This way the root is easier to harvest.

One of the reasons burdock root is so packed with minerals is because of how deep the wild plant grows. That is both a blessing and a curse when harvest time comes, so prepare your land well.

Read Also: Ideal organic fertilizer for vegetables and fine herbs

When to plant burdock

Plant in spring, when soil temperatures warm up in temperate regions after the risk of frost has passed. In warm areas, plant in the fall.

Where to plant burdock

Once you plant burdock on your property, you will notice that it appears everywhere. This is because the strawberry sticks to everything that comes into contact with it. Keep that in mind if you have pets.

In fact, the biggest challenge to burdock growth is keeping it contained. You can cut the strawberries before they form and you may also want to grow them in a closed, fenced area.

Try to plant your burdock where you like so it will self-sow and grow continuously so you don’t have to bother collecting seeds.

Seeds or cuttings?

Seeds, seeds and more seeds. If there’s one thing you can trust about burdock, it’s the seeds. If you have wild burdock, you’ve probably picked up the thistles (seeds) from your cat, dog, or child’s clothing. You can buy seeds or harvest some from the wild (just make sure you’ve identified the plant correctly) or from a friend’s plant. Remove the seeds from the prickly outer layer and pat dry.

Germinating seeds

Cover the seeds with about 1/2 ″ of soil and tap lightly. Being the prolific plant that it is, the seeds will germinate in just 7 days. Keep the soil moist while the seed germinates.

This could also be of interest to you: Best Pruning Shears

Space

Give growing burdock 6-8 inches between plants and 24-36 inches between rows.

Caring for Burdock

Fertilization

You can give your growing burdock a boost with a general purpose fertilizer if you like, but it is not necessary.

Irrigation

As long as the soil is loamy and well fertilized, the only other thing to remember with burdock is to water it regularly. A good amount of water is needed for large, healthy roots to grow, so give it plenty to drink. Just don’t overwater or the root may rot if it sits in puddles of water.

Pruning

If you don’t want the plant to self-seed, cut the flowers before they dry.

This could also be of interest to you: Best Electric Lawn Mower 20V

Common problems and solutions for growing burdock.

Burdock is hardy and not bothered by too many pests, but here are a few things to keep in mind.

Four-Lined Insect

This insect damages the leaves to the point that the leaf withers and dies. It will eat the meat off the leaf, leaving hollow spots. It winters over the plant’s eggs and thrives in the spring. Use neem oil to control it, although you are adept at avoiding sprays, so keep an eye on the numbers.

You will find very few bugs that bother burdock other than the four-line plant bug. If you’re growing burdock for the root, I wouldn’t worry too much about the top bugs.

Slugs

There are few plants out there that slugs don’t like to nibble on, and burdock is no exception. Use your favorite slug control method to keep them at bay.

Aphids

At some point, all gardens have aphids. Fortunately, they are easy to control. Look for clumps of green or yellow bed bugs and spray them with a stream of water. If you plan to eat the leaves, spray them with neem oil to keep aphids away without contaminating your crop.

Mites

Spider mites are another common garden pest. You will usually notice the little creatures in their cobweb masses. Use neem oil to control it.

This could also be of interest to you: 120g sphagnum moss for plants

Companion Plants for Burdock

Because burdock has such a long palm root, it draws its nutrients from deep in the ground, so companion plants should have anything with shallow roots, such as:

Asparagus
Beans
Green peas
pumpkin

Don’t plant with deep-rooted veggies or they will compete with burdock for nutrients. You will also disturb the vegetable roots if you harvest the burdock first, given the depth of the burdock roots. Less than ideal companions include:

Onions
Radish
Potatoes
Carrot

How to harvest and use burdock

Burdock is a biennial, which means it grows for two years before dying. The roots are usually ready 90-120 days after planting, and the leaves are ready when you are. Harvest the root in the first year in fall or in the second year in spring. The roots can grow deep, so this is where deep, loamy soil comes in handy.

You can dig straight down to pull out the roots or dig a trench along the root to pull it to the sides.

Use young leaves like spinach. The roots can be boiled, roasted or fried and are used in many recipes.

In terms of health, burdock is used for a variety of things, from detoxification, treating skin problems, as a liver tonic or for problems related to PMS. Lightly steam the leaves and then apply as a poultice to remove infection from cuts and skin damage.

Burdock is a wonderful plant that is easy to grow, has impressive health benefits, and a tasty flavor. Give it a try because it’s hard to screw it up. What other plant allows you to eat the roots, leaves, stems and can be used as a source of medicinal energy?

This could also be of interest to you: 10 g of Organic Bonsai Fertilizer

If you are serious about self-sustainability, this is a plant to consider growing due to the multitude of different ways it can be used.

Have recipes or medicinal concoctions to share with us on how to use your burdock leaves or roots?