Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: dickpiggot on April 23, 2007, 22:44

Title: Salsify
Post by: dickpiggot on April 23, 2007, 22:44

Evening everyone.

Anybody know anything about growing this? am i too late?

any responses appreciated

Dick

Title: Salsify
Post by: WG. on April 23, 2007, 22:46

I went for scorzonera instead since a chef friend said it has better flavour.  Mine are just through the ground now.

Not too late since you can treat it as a bi-ennial if it is too small as an annual.

Title: Salsify
Post by: Annie on April 23, 2007, 22:50

John grows them and there is something in the Search thing.

Title: Salsify
Post by: ted_woodley on April 24, 2007, 08:12

I have grown both. I found them a waste of effort. The roots are very thin and long - this caused me a few problems. Firstly I couldn't dig them out properly, most just snapped in half. Secondly, they are impossible to peel and prepare properly, you end up with little slivers of watery tasting vegetable. Finally, the snapped off roots left deep in the soil kept growing year after year until I finally managed to get them all out.

I guess one problem is because they are quite infrequently grown there has been little work done to produce larger/easier/better varieties to grow (unlike parsnips for example, which I have no problems with).

But, always interesting to give something new a try. Good Luck !

Title: Salsify
Post by: slow_worm on April 24, 2007, 08:27

I have some seed but haven't sown... may leave for next year as I may run out of room soon... with 12 tomatoes, potatoes, runners, peas salad onion, italian onion, courgette, squash, sweetcorn....oh and numerous herbs.

Title: Salsify
Post by: WG. on April 24, 2007, 08:33

Quote from: "ted_woodley"

Firstly I couldn't dig them out properly, most just snapped in half. Secondly, they are impossible to peel and prepare properly, you end up with little slivers of watery tasting vegetable. Finally, the snapped off roots left deep in the soil kept growing year after year until I finally managed to get them all out.

I've got all of this covered.  :D

Title: Salsify
Post by: ytyynycefn on April 24, 2007, 10:12

I've sown some scorzonera too - they're just showing now.