Cardoons advice

[Benacre]

Cardoons are flowering plants? or are they Veg.

These are new to me and as I have been given some seed I ahd better give them a go. are they easy to get big plants?
and will they need staking?
Thanks
Colin.

[HappyMouffe]

Hi Benacre,
I sowed some 2 years ago, from some free seeds from a magazine. I think I started them off in a greenhouse, and they were pretty straight forward. Apparently you can eat them (you blanch the stems by wrapping them somehow for a few weeks) but I should think they're rather tough!

Dead easy to get big plants - just stick them outside once they're a reasonable size and then watch them grow into 7 foot tall monsters. The bees love the flowers & they are quite impressive as cut flowers.

Mine tend to fall over if it's windy - one fell in May so I chopped it back & it soon grew back again. In fact, to keep them to a more reasonable size this year, I'm going to try giving them all the 'chelsea chop' in May. Perhaps then they'll be the right size for me to actually see the flowers, without having to climb on our front wall!

Just checked in Hessayon - he says that they are best treated as "tough and stringy celery". Blanching looks too much effort for the rather tough reward.

[HappyMouffe]

PS - I didn't stake mine - that's why they blew over!

[nick the grief]

Cardoons are flowering plants? or are they Veg.

These are new to me and as I have been given some seed I ahd better give them a go. are they easy to get big plants?
and will they need staking?
Thanks
Colin.

They are like Giant Edible Thistles - make very majestic plants and can be used like celerey only it's coarser & needs Blanching really

[Benacre]

Something to show off to other Plot holders this year. Thanks for the advice.
Benacre

[Don Vincenzo]

Cardoons Scolymus Cardunculus

They are like Giant Edible Thistles - make very majestic plants and can be used like celerey only it's coarser & needs Blanching really

Cardoons its culture is similar of that of celery, the trenches made wider and slighty deeper than those of the latter 2 foot apart in the rows and 6 foot between the rows. The taste is totally different than celery and similar if not the same as as globe artichokes. The blanched inner leafstalk, the receptable are the only parts eaten, used in soups and stews. It is widely eaten in the continent expecially in the countries boarding the mediterraen sea were it grows wild, considered a delicacy and like globe artichokes a crop for the not hungry, it is sold in markets in these countries. It was grown in Victorian times.
I started to grow them to please one of my spoilted aunty, hopefully she will remember me in her will but looks like she will live for ever, however it is a beatiful plant and once established will regrow year after year. I don't bother with blanching or trenching. I grow them the same way as globe artichokes, the first year I leave them alone in order for the roots to astablish, cutting the flowering stalk at the end of the season. Soon it will produce several side shoots and when these are of considerable size I gather them ready for use. Select the best useable stalks which should be firm and full, remove leaves, cut them to about 7 cm, boil them in little water with the addition of some lemon juice till tender, drain, let them dry of excess water. Coat them in seasoned plain flour and fry in oil or fry them in butter but do not coat them in flour. The taste is sublime and on the bitter side,a glass or two of a dry white wine goes well with them. Let some plants to flower, the bees will love it, let the wind to disperse the seeds, soon you will find wild cardoons growing around and about including your neighbours plots. This summer I will try to take some photos.
Don Vincenzo

[supersprout]

I'd be very interested to see your photos Don Vincenzo, yes please!
Do you peel or scrape your unblanched stalks at all?

[Don Vincenzo]

Preparing cardoons before cooking

I'd be very interested to see your photos Don Vincenzo, yes please!
Do you peel or scrape your unblanched stalks at all?

Just like celery, the tougher stalks needs to be destringed with a peeler, just use common sense and experiment but no scraping. Do make sure they are submerged in water with few drops of lemon juice or vinegar so they will not turn blackish, but do not worry to much about this as it is just appearances and will not effect taste.
Regards
don vincenzo

[supersprout]

Thank you Don Vincenzo, your no-blanch no-trench cardoon has given me new courage! I'll grow one of these from seed this year for eating next

[Snadger]

Must admit I had tears in my eyes when I read the previous thread but I will be growing a cardoon or two from seed this year.