It is sown end of April, out of individual cup under shelter. Planting takes place in May, in full sun and well drained garden. End of September, cover the base with soil, and then tie the leaves together once you have removed the damaged ones. Next wrap everything with an opaque material to protect the heart in order to blanch it. Harvesting takes place in autumn when the sides have blanched.

Cardoon can be damaged by cutworm, slugs, aphids (three pests that eat the leaves), by mildew (a fungus that develops when the field is strong wet, with the appearance of brown spots on the leaves). Subsequently these diseases cause a slower growth of the plant, which can even lead to the death of the latter. Cardoon is a vegetable but also a stem.