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Growing Burdock, also Gobo (Japanese Burdock)

(Arctium lappa)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
P	P	P	P					P	P	P	P

(Best months for planting Burdock in Australia - temperate regions)

P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: 60 cm apart
Harvest in 17-18 weeks.
Compatible with: Best grown in separate bed.

Burdock grows wild on roadsides and waste places and around field boundaries throughout Britain, Europe and North America; it is cultivated in Japan. It grows to about 2m (6ft) high. It has dark green leaves with a long tap root

Keep watch for seed heads as it can become an invasive weed. The prickly balls were the inspiration for the inventor of 'Velcro', George de Mestra.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Burdock

Harvest in the first year when the burdock root is very crisp and has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavour with a little muddy harshness that can be reduced by soaking julienne/shredded roots in water for five to ten minutes. Immature flower stalks may also be harvested in late spring, before flowers appear; the taste resembles that of artichoke, to which the burdock is related.

It is a key ingredient in the traditional Dandelion and Burdock beer.

Your comments and tips

13 Oct 11, Jenny (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Dear Where can I buy the burdock roots in ACT? Please help. Thanks
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08 Apr 11, Theresa (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Could you please tell me where can i buy burdock root. I live in Melbourne, Australia Thanks
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01 Mar 11, Mickey (Australia - sub-tropical climate): As a good Gobo-burdock grows its root over 1 meter, we, Japanese gardeners sometimes lay galvanized iron (or plastic) sheets in soil with 15 - 20 degree angle like this//////, and plant the seedlings in betrween the sheets. The width of the sheets depends on the width of your vegi patch, and you may plant Gobo in each row as many as you like as long as they have at least 15 cm space between them. As the roots grow, it hits the sheet and grow side way in angle along the sheet in the soil. At the harvesting time, you can easily remove the sheets one by one. It is much easier than trying to dig out 1 meter hole along the root. I have grown many 1.2 meter Gobos in my 30cm high raised garden beds in this way.
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08 Apr 11, Dennis (Australia - arid climate): Hi Mickey, I'd like to grown Gobo/Burdock in my herbal garden in Melbourne... Please advice where could I get some of Gobo seed in Melbourne? Thank you
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30 Apr 11, Mickey (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I order my asian vege seeds at www.4seasonsseeds.com.au .
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29 Mar 11, Doug (Australia - cool/mountain climate): A brilliant idea. I've got a heap of ex-roofing iron sheets, so will give this one a try!
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07 Jun 10, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I have raised garden beds because my soil is stoney. Has anyone tried to grow burdock in bins? That sounds easy to get 90cm of sandy loam happening.
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18 Apr 10, Sue (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I would like to know where can i buy this burdock roots. I live in Brisbane and i don't know where to get it. Thank you
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06 Feb 10, Sharonne (Australia - temperate climate): SHIPARDS HERBS in Queensland have every medicinal herb u can want both in seeds and plants. They ship anywhere in Australia
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29 Dec 09, James CHOI (Australia - temperate climate): Dear Sir, Nice to see your web about Burdock,I am a new hand for growing and planting. Is it possible to ask you where I could buy the fresh or dried Burdock in Melbourne. Please let me have your recommendation. Thanks a lot. James
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See planting calendar for these countries and climate zones

Australia - arid, Australia - cool/mountain, Australia - sub-tropical, Australia - temperate, Australia - tropical, New Zealand - cool/mountain, New Zealand - sub-tropical, New Zealand - temperate, South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical, South Africa - Humid sub-tropical, South Africa - Semi-arid, South Africa - Summer rainfall, United Kingdom - cool/temperate, United Kingdom - warm/temperate, USA - Central West Coast, USA - Maritime Northwest, USA - Mid-Atlantic, USA - North East, USA - South East and Gulf States, USA - South West, USA - Upper Midwest

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

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