Arctium lappa

Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Market Products: (root, leaf); (root); Market size: 3,000 hectares (world), 170 ha (North America) Prospects: prices up, volume up

Culture Seed density: 60-110 seeds/gram Exposure: full or part sun Soil: deep, loose, humus-rich, pH 6-8 Crop duration: 1-2 years

Sowing rate: 4 kg/ha (direct), 1.5kg/ha (indirect). Planting: sow direct in field in early spring. Or, sow in beds or plugs and transplant to field in spring. For use as fresh vegetable, dig first year roots when young and tender at 3-5 months. For dry root production, dig in fall of second year. Field spacing: 45-90cm between rows x 15-30cm within rows. Yield: dry root 2,000kg/ha (years 2 or 3). Pests: few problems, grasshopper Diseases: few problems.

Sowing rate: 20g/1000plants. Planting: sow in plugs 9-10 weeks before sale. Seeds to saleable plants: 10 weeks. Pests: whitefly Diseases: powdery mildew.