How to Grow Cardoons

Growing Cardoons - Cynara cardunculus

This near relative of the globe artichoke has handsome silvery fern-like foliage. It is grown for its blanched stalks which are not unlike the chards produced by globe artichokes. These are used in the same way as celery, in fact, both subjects require similar culture.

Cardoons like a rich, moist soil and succeed in trenches about 30cm deep and 20cm wide  where there is manure or decayed compost at the bottom.

Plants can be raised from seed sown in spring. They can be started over a gentle hotbed or in pots, but outdoors, wait until the second week in May before sowing.

Keep the roots moist throughout summer and applications of liquid manure will encourage good tender growth. The plants will be ready for blanching from early autumn on'. Wards. One method is to tie all the leaves together and then earth up as for celery, or corrugated tubes can be placed over the plants. Alternatively, bracken or straw can be used.

The blanching process takes six to eight weeks and the stems should be dry before the operation begins.

Varieties. There are two main sorts. The French Cardoon, often listed as Tours, has long stems but their prickles make it difficult to work among the plants. The Spanish Cardoon is spineless but the flavour is not so good, the plants being apt to run to seed.