Cardoons

[EleanorParticipant]

Dear Charles,

About 3 years ago I bought a small cardoon plant at a garden centre having read how good the blanched stems were to eat. It grew wonderfully, but I didn’t get around to doing anything with it, and wasn’t quite sure what to do. That year, we did a walking holiday in September in the Auvergne–up high–and in the allotments there I saw what I am pretty sure were cardoons being blanched. There were about 6 tall plants–maybe 4-5 feet tall and a foot wide, covered with material–cotton or something–and tied in two or three places–so they looked like tall swaddled scarecrows with leaves sticking out the top.

So last year, I waited until September, but by that time my cardoons were about 8-10 feet tall and falling over–and spreading about a metre wide. Of course they had bloomed their great beautiful thistle heads which were now dying. (Had tried eating some like my artichokes [which are much smaller] but they weren’t great.) The stems looked tough and were browning in places, so I cut everything down to the ground.

This spring, my plant which is now many small plants–about a metre in diametre has sprouted nicely and all the shoots are growing strongly. They are already about a foot to 18 inches tall . So–I am wondering–when and how do I blanch them? What is best to eat?

[charlesModerator]

 Sounds interesting but I have not done this Eleanor. I would estimate mid May as time to blanch, before the flower stems develop too much. Perhps even earlier, try one part of the plant first.
I wonder if the ones you saw in France in September were re-growth from an earlier blanch in spring, after which they may have cut everything to ground level, like a ‘Chelsea Chop’. 

[EleanorParticipant]

Thanks Charles,

What you say makes sense.

Will try it and let you know what happens. And take pictures.

Have you eaten cardoons–or their flowers before they bloom?

Also am trying to grow artichokes. Have just split mine and shoved on lots of manure. The ones given me by an allotment neighbour do well–the others I planted not so good. A good example of local usually being best–tried and true in our soil and aspect. Do you do artichokes?

[charlesModerator]

 Yes artichokes give more harvest, in my opinion, than cardoons. I hope your new roots will make a small harvest in late summer, then a big one next year.

My globe artichoke plants are fourteen years old and healthy.

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