Bunium bulbocastanum
Earth chestnut
Common names: Earth hazelnut, Knollenkümmel
Photo: Jan Kops · Public Domain · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Earth chestnut (Bunium bulbocastanum) is a tuberous umbellifer and a true rarity in the vegetable garden. Underground it forms a hazelnut- to walnut-sized tuber with a chestnut-like flavor, eaten raw or cooked. Its fine, cumin-like seeds are used as a spicy seasoning for bread, soups, and stews. The plant requires patience: it takes two to three years for the tubers to grow to a substantial size before they can be harvested.
Care instructions
Plant in loose, deep soil to allow the tuber to develop freely. Sow directly outdoors in autumn, around mid-October (week 42), as the seeds need a cold stimulus to germinate. Keep the site moderately moist but avoid waterlogging, and mulch regularly in the first months to suppress weeds, as young seedlings struggle to compete. Mark the planting area well, as the perennial plant is disturbed easily during digging or turning. Harvest earliest in the second autumn, but usually only in the third autumn after the foliage has died back.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, lime-loving, sandy, dry
Feeding
Light feeder
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