Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford, says cardoons “will grow in most soils” but don’t like winter waterlogging; in very cold areas, it can help to earth them up.
If you plan to eat them, keep plants “moist and well manured,” and tie them into a loose bunch for the last ten days before harvest to get “more tender stalks”, though he adds, “I don’t bother.”
Once established, “they don’t need much weeding… they will see off even the most competitive weeds,” making them “ideal for the lazy gardener with space.”
Each plant is “an ecosystem in itself,” supporting insects, adding bold structure, and producing flowers loved by bees. Cutting back in autumn is optional; they’ll regrow regardless.”
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