How to Cultivate Burdock

Burdock (or Arctium Lappa) is a biennial thistle native to Europe and Asia. It is primarily cultivated for its roots, due to their purported blood-cleansing properties, although its leaves, stalks and seeds can also be used for medicinal purposes.

The Natural Herbs Guide reports that burdock root can be used to treat over 40 ailments, making this plant a useful addition to many herb gardens.

Things You'll Need

• Burdock seeds (Arctium Lappa)
• Spade
• Compost
• Garden sand
• Hand trowel
• Multipurpose liquid fertilizer

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Instructions

• 1

  Create a fertile seed bed for your burdock in a sunny spot in your garden by digging with a spade over an area of soil at least 4 feet by 6 feet. Also remove stones and weeds up to a depth of 2 feet.

• 2

  Mix compost and garden sand in with the soil, using a spade, to establish a rich, well-drained environment that will allow your burdock to thrive.

• 3

  Thinly sow your burdock seeds in rows 2 feet apart once all risk of frost has passed (usually in mid-spring). Cover with1/2 inch of soil, and gently pat the soil down. Water lightly if the soil is dry.

• 4

  Thin the seedlings to 3 inches apart once they have grown to 3 inches in height. Do this by carefully digging up plants that are too close together, using a hand trowel. Ensure that the roots are not damaged in the process, and replant the seedlings to achieve the desired spacing.

• 5

  Maintain a moist, weed-free environment, and apply a multipurpose liquid fertilizer according to the package instructions. The young stems and leaves can be pruned and used as the plant grows, and roots can be harvested after about four months.