Burdock

Arctium lappa 'Takinogawa'

vegetable

Takinogawa is the long-rooted Japanese burdock (gobo) bred in the Edo period at Takinogawa village near Tokyo. The slender taproots grow 24 to 36 inches deep, with a mild earthy nutty flavor reminiscent of artichoke or salsify. Burdock is foundational in Japanese cooking, especially kinpira (julienned and sauteed with carrot) and miso soup.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Carrots — Similar deep-soil culture and harvest window
• Lettuce — Quick early companion that finishes before burdock sizes up
• Onions — Pest-deterrent allium companion in deep beds
• Radish — Use shallower soil layer and break up surface crust

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Blast with water, encourage ladybugs and lacewings

• Slugs →

  Iron phosphate bait around young plants

• Forking and twisting →

  Loosen soil 24 in deep before sowing; remove all stones and clumps

• Bolting in year 1 →

  Harvest before midsummer of year 2; do not let plants overwinter into a second growing season

🌾 Harvest & storage

Burdock is ready in late fall or early next spring, 85 to 120 days after sowing. The roots are notoriously hard to dig because they go so deep; loosen with a long sharp spade and lift carefully. Roots cut into thin strips, soaked in vinegar water (prevents browning), and then sauteed with carrot, soy, and sesame is the classic kinpira gobo. Refrigerate trimmed roots in damp paper for 2 to 3 weeks.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

About 72 calories per 100 g raw root with 3.3 g fiber, 3 mg vitamin C, 308 mg potassium, and 41 mcg folate. By dry weight the root is rich in inulin, a prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria (roughly 27 to 45 percent of dry matter), as well as lignans and polyphenols traditionally used in herbal medicine for blood and skin health.