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Growing Cardoon in the Vegetable Garden

Start cardoon seeds indoors in late winter or January, about 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost. Sow 0.25 inch deep in pots or cell trays filled with a light, well-drained mix and keep at 70-85 F for best germination. Thin or pot up seedlings so each has room to develop a strong root system. Grow on in a bright location, so plants stay stocky rather than leggy.

Transplant outdoors after the final frost once the soil has warmed slightly, but the weather is still cool. Space plants 24-36 inches apart in rows 36-60 inches apart. Choose a sunny site with deep, fertile, well-drained soil and work in plenty of compost or aged manure before planting. Feed regularly through the growing season and water deeply to encourage vigorous stalk development. In established plantings, cardoon can remain in place for 6-7 years, forming large, dramatic clumps.

Harvesting of Cardoon

Cardoon is traditionally blanched before harvest to tenderize stalks and mellow the flavor. A couple of weeks before you plan to harvest, gather the stalks, tie them loosely, and wrap them in opaque material or mound soil around the bundle to exclude light. When stalks are thick and pale, cut them near the base, trim away leaves and spines, and peel off the fibrous outer layer.

Harvest typically begins about 60-75 days after transplanting and can continue as long as stalk quality remains good. Roots can also be dug and used like parsnips in roasted and braised dishes. If plants are left to flower, tall stems carry large, purple, thistle-like blooms that are highly ornamental and attractive to pollinators.

About Cardoon Garden Seeds

Cardoon is a Mediterranean heirloom closely related to globe artichoke, but grown primarily for its edible leafstalks rather than flower buds. The broad, fleshy ribs have a flavor reminiscent of mild artichoke when boiled, roasted, or fried, and have long been used in European soups, gratins, and holiday dishes.

Beyond the kitchen, cardoon is valued as an architectural landscape plant, with bold, spiny, silver-green foliage and showy purple flowers that give borders a dramatic, old-world feel. In warmer zones, it is a long-lived perennial; in colder climates, it can be grown as an annual or lifted and overwintered, making it a versatile choice for gardeners who enjoy both edible and ornamental crops.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Give cardoon a deep, fertile bed and plenty of elbow room. Start plants early, water and feed steadily, and blanch the stalks before harvest for the most tender texture and rich, artichoke-like flavor."

- Jerry Sawyer, True Leaf Market Writer

Cardoon Seeds Per Package:

• 3 g Packet - Approximately 50 Seeds
• 1 oz - Bulk - Approximately 500 Seeds
• 4 oz - Bulk - Approximately 2,000 Seeds
• 1 lb - Wholesale - Approximately 8,000 Seeds

Non-GMO Cardoon seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.