Burdock Tea

Burdock tea, moreover, is beneficial for your gastrointestinal tract as well as used by many to boost a slacking appetite.  Herbalists have also used this tea to help restore liver function.

You may be hard pressed to find this herb in most gardens, but including it in yours will make your garden all that much more distinctive.  Sometimes this herb is referred to as gobo, but if you haven’t heard it as either name, I’m not really surprised.

Though not native to this country, burdock grows freely in many areas.  It was brought over by the original settlers during early colonial at times.

Most people start burdock from seed.  Start planting in the early spring — the earlier the better in fact.  Cover the seeds with one half to one quarter inch of find garden soil or seed starting soil.  If the water seems dry when you plant, then you’ll want to water it as well.

The seeds germinate quickly, so you should notice some sprouts in about four to seven days. Take the seedlings and thin them until they’re about three inches apart, in rows separated by at least two feet. This plant prefers the full sun, but is hardy enough to tolerate some shade as well.

If you’re considering growing burdock then you also need to consider the soil in which you place it.  This plant needs a rich well-drained soil.  The soil itself should be loose and definitely free from rocks and stones. 

And that’s not just on the surface.  Be sure that the area below this plant for at least several feet in depth is rock-free.  This allows the burdock’s root to take hold securely.  And it does have a big, strong root.

And yes, you can eat this herb too.  Pick the leaves when they are quite tender, then cook them just like you would spinach.

If you’re planning on using the roots as a medicinal tool, then you’ll have to wait for a while.  They take a good long time to grow. Some herbalists say you need to wait about 100 days.  Don’t pick the roots before they’re two feet long.  Then you simply peel them.  You may either eat the root raw or cook it.  Many people use the root in soups, salads and even in stir fry dinners.