Heirloom

Chiko

Arctium lappa

Wikimedia Commons

A great season-extension offering. For fall, winter, and spring harvest and storage. Can be overwintered in soil, much the same as parsnips. Cook like carrots. Easier to grow than both carrots and parsnips, with faster germination and good weed competition. Delicious in hearty soups and bean stews. Uniform variety. Roots are long, slender, and light brown. Avg. 1-2' long x 1" thick.

Harvest

120d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

3–10

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

2-10 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct Sow

Harvest

Direct Sow

Harvest

Showing dates for Chiko in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 root-vegetable →

Zone Map

Click a state to update dates

Chiko · Zones 3–10

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing4-6 inches

SoilLoose, well-drained soil, free of rocks and compacted clay; amended with compost

WaterRegular; consistent moisture during establishment and root enlargement; moderate drought tolerance once established

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorMild, slightly sweet flavor with tender texture; sweeter after frost exposure; more delicate than carrots, less earthy than parsnips

ColorLight brown

Size1"

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	—	—	May – June	September – October
Zone 4	—	—	April – June	August – October
Zone 5	—	—	April – May	August – November
Zone 6	—	—	April – May	August – November
Zone 7	—	—	March – May	July – November
Zone 8	—	—	March – April	July – December
Zone 9	—	—	February – March	June – December
Zone 10	—	—	January – March	May – December
Zone 1	—	—	June – July	October – September
Zone 2	—	—	May – July	September – September
Zone 11	—	—	January – February	April – December
Zone 12	—	—	January – February	April – December
Zone 13	—	—	January – February	April – December

Succession Planting

Burdock is a single long-season crop — direct sow from March through May and pull roots from July through November. At 120 days to harvest, there's no practical window to stagger plantings for a rolling supply the way you'd do with radishes or lettuce. One sowing per season is the standard approach.

What you can plan around is the following year's bed use. NC State Extension IPM guidance is clear that root crops shouldn't occupy the same ground in consecutive years. Give any bed that grew burdock at least one non-root season — a legume cover crop like crimson clover works well and feeds the soil nitrogen — before you put burdock or carrots back in that spot.

Complete Growing Guide

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt). Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Achenes are oblong and have fine, minute bristles (pappas hairs) on one end that soon fall off and easily become airborne. These can be seriously irritating to humans or other mammals (particularly dogs, horses, or livestock) if exposed to eyes, skin, or the respiratory tract.

Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Achene. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.

Harvest time: Fall, Summer

Edibility: Roots are the primary edible part. Young leaves and immature flower stalks are also edible before flowers appear.

Storage & Preservation

Harvest Chiko roots at 120 days and store immediately in a cool, humid environment—ideally 32–40°F with 90–95% humidity. Layer roots in damp sand or peat moss within ventilated wooden crates to prevent shriveling and rot. Under these conditions, roots remain firm and usable for 4–6 months. For longer preservation, freezing works well: peel, cut into small pieces, blanch for 3 minutes, cool rapidly, then freeze in airtight containers for up to a year. Drying is equally effective—slice roots thinly, dry in a dehydrator at 140°F until brittle, then store in sealed jars away from light. Fermentation preserves the roots' subtle earthy notes while boosting digestibility; simply pack sliced roots with 2–3% salt by weight and keep submerged under brine for 3–6 weeks. Chiko's tender, less fibrous flesh compared to standard burdock makes it particularly suited to quick-pickling methods, which retain its delicate texture better than longer preservation processes.

History & Origin

Chiko is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Temperate Eurasia

Advantages

+Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Pollinators
+Edible: Roots are the primary edible part. Young leaves and immature flower stalks are also edible before flowers appear.
+Fast-growing
+Low maintenance

Companion Plants

Garlic and onions are the most practical companions here. Both release sulfur compounds that confuse or deter soft-bodied pests, and since burdock's taproot drives straight down past 12 inches, it doesn't compete with the shallow bulbs for water or space. Chives do the same job if you want something perennial along the bed edge. Marigolds (Tagetes patula specifically) are worth tucking in nearby — their root secretions are documented to suppress Meloidogyne root-knot nematode populations in the surrounding soil, which matters in warm, sandy ground.

Fennel is the one plant to pull from the equation entirely. It produces allelopathic compounds that stunt or kill a wide range of neighbors, and burdock gets no special exemption. Sunflowers are a more situational problem — not chemically toxic, but they top out well above burdock's canopy, cast dense shade, and drink heavily from the same topsoil moisture a young burdock needs through its first 60 days of growth.

Plant Together

Carrots

Break up soil with their taproots, improving drainage and soil structure

Onions

Repel root maggots and other soil pests with their strong scent

Garlic

Natural fungicide properties help prevent soil-borne diseases

Lettuce

Shallow roots don't compete, provides living mulch to retain soil moisture

Radishes

Break up compacted soil and deter root-boring insects

Chives

Repel aphids and improve soil with their sulfur compounds

Spinach

Cool-season companion that maximizes garden space without root competition

Marigolds

Release compounds that suppress harmful nematodes in soil

Keep Apart

Fennel

Allelopathic compounds inhibit root development and overall growth

Black Walnut Trees

Produce juglone toxin that severely stunts root vegetable growth

Sunflowers

Allelopathic effects and heavy nutrient competition harm root development

Nutrition Facts

Calories

41kcal(2%)

Protein

0.93g(2%)

Fiber

2.8g(10%)

Carbs

9.58g(3%)

Fat

0.24g(0%)

Vitamin C

5.9mg(7%)

Vitamin A

835mcg(93%)

Vitamin K

13.2mcg(11%)

Iron

0.3mg(2%)

Calcium

33mg(3%)

Potassium

320mg(7%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170393)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Common Pests

Generally pest-resistant; occasional carrot rust fly damage in susceptible regions

Diseases

Generally disease-resistant; rare cases of root rot in waterlogged soils

Troubleshooting Chiko

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Roots come up brown and slimy at harvest, or plant collapses at the crown before day 120

Likely Causes

Root rot from waterlogged soil — burdock roots sit in standing water and suffocate
Pythium or Phytophthora spp. moving in once drainage fails

What to Do

1.Dig your bed deep — at least 18–24 inches — and amend heavy clay with coarse compost or sand before you sow
2.Back off watering once plants are established; burdock has moderate drought tolerance and doesn't want wet feet
3.If a spot stays soggy after rain, move this crop to a raised bed or a different location entirely next season

Tunneling or scarring on the upper root surface, noticed at harvest

Likely Causes

Carrot rust fly (Psila rosae) larvae — they tunnel just under the skin of roots in susceptible regions
Root maggot activity in beds with a history of Apiaceae crops (carrots, parsnips) nearby

What to Do

1.Rotate burdock out of any bed that grew carrots or parsnips the previous year — NC State Extension IPM guidance recommends using a site for related crops only once every 3–4 years
2.Cover seedlings with floating row cover (Agribon AG-19 or similar) from germination through early summer to block adult fly egg-laying
3.At harvest, inspect the top 4–6 inches of root where damage concentrates; light scarring is cosmetic, but heavy tunneling means tightening your rotation next cycle

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Chiko take to grow?▼

Chiko matures in approximately 120 days from direct sowing to harvest-ready size. This makes it ideal for a fall crop: sow in mid-summer (60 days before the first fall frost) and harvest from September through November. In mild climates, you can leave roots in the ground and harvest throughout winter. Unlike parsnips, which improve with frost but take 140+ days, Chiko reaches peak flavor in a single season without requiring vernalization.

Is Chiko good for beginner gardeners?▼

Yes. Chiko is one of the easiest root vegetables to grow, even easier than carrots. It germinates reliably and quickly (10–14 days), has excellent weed competition so you won't spend all season weeding, and is forgiving of less-than-perfect soil. Direct sow in midsummer for a fall crop, thin seedlings, keep soil moist, and harvest in fall or winter. Few pests or diseases bother it, making it an ideal choice for first-time root vegetable growers.

Can you grow Chiko in containers?▼

Yes, but with limitations. Use a container at least 18 inches deep and 12 inches wide per plant, filled with loose, well-draining potting mix amended with compost. The main challenge is providing enough depth for the long, slender roots to fully develop. Container-grown Chiko will work fine for the 120-day growing season, but you'll sacrifice some root length (expect 12–15 inches rather than 18–24 inches). Regular watering is critical in containers; they dry faster than garden soil.

What does Chiko taste like?▼

Chiko has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a tender texture when cooked. Raw roots are crisp and somewhat bland, but cooking mellows and concentrates the flavor. It's sweeter than parsnips and more delicate than carrots, making it ideal for soups and stews where it absorbs the flavors of broth and aromatics. Roots harvested after a frost taste noticeably sweeter as the plant converts starches to sugars in response to cold.

When should I plant Chiko?▼

Direct sow Chiko outdoors in mid-to-late summer, approximately 120 days before your first fall frost. For example, if your first frost is October 15, sow seeds around June 15–July 1. You can also sow in early spring as soon as soil is workable, harvesting in early summer, but fall and winter harvests are where Chiko truly excels. Avoid sowing in hot mid-summer; wait for temperatures to moderate slightly, as heat reduces germination rates.

How does Chiko compare to parsnips for storage and overwintering?▼

Both can overwinter in the ground and store 4–6 months in a root cellar, but Chiko is easier overall. Chiko matures faster (120 vs. 140+ days), requires no frost exposure to taste good (parsnips improve after frost), and has fewer disease issues. Parsnips are larger and more substantial, while Chiko roots are slender and more uniform. If you want the easiest season-extension crop that actually tastes good without extra waiting, Chiko wins. Parsnips are better if you want maximum root size and don't mind the extra time.