[SUTTY1]

Growing this and scorzenera for the 1st time this year. Read a book tonight at the plot that listed them as a troubles some perrenial weed
Does anyone know if they really can become a prolem and if so is it the seeds or do i just need to be sure i lit all the root??

[gillie]

I grew scorzonera once and it took three years to get rid of it!  It is from the dandelion family and if you don't get the tip of the root out it comes back...

I have never had any trouble with salsify - but I find it difficult to grow good roots anyway.

Gillie

[8doubles]

I`m still growing scorzonera and i haven`t planted it for 3 years. The roots go down a loooooong way.

Achchocha and Ground cress are another two that take advantage and come back every year.

[New shoot]

I've grown salify and had a similar experience to Gillie.  Grew well and did not come back the next year, but the roots were small and fiddly to prepare, so I decided it was not worth it.

I was growing on fairly heavy clay soil so you might do better if you have a lighter loam soil 

[PennyS]

I'm growing mine in a fairly small area - if it proves difficult to get rid of, I can always keep growing it in that area  :blink:
I've grown it before but that was in clay.  My lotty's mostly loam.  Don't know if that will make a difference?

[Kristen]

I've grown salify and had a similar experience to Gillie.  Grew well and did not come back the next year, but the roots were small and fiddly to prepare, so I decided it was not worth it.

Snap!

The Scorzonera I grew was so pathetic I've left it in for a second year ... so will tell you next year if my lot thought it was worth it. And if I can get rid of it, or not.

[JayG]

I grew salsify one year and it certainly didn't have the enthusiasm or strength to re-grow the following year.

Having tasted what there was of it I didn't have the enthusiam to try again either! 

[Kristen]

Are we all doing something wrong then?

Popular abroad I think (France particularly) ...

Parsnips seems to give much better return per unit-area IMHO

[8doubles]

Parsnips seems to give much better return per unit-area IMHO

My thoughts entirely, if you have limited space there are better veg you can grow.

Always looking for new veg to try though.

[JayG]

Think it's often the case that the less popular veg are less popular for a good reason; either difficult to grow in the UK or not that nice to eat (or both.)

Hasn't stopped me having another go at growing Florence Fennel though, which for me up to now definitely falls into the first category! 

This year of course it will be great! 

[Kristen]

One of my gardening books recommends sowing Florence Fennel every week and just ignoring all the ones that bolt!

These "unpopular for a reason" veg : how come they are sold on every seed rack in every garden centre in the land, rather than being specialist-purchase only?

If I was running a seed business and some things rarely sold I'd stop packet-ing so many of them and use the rack space for something else

In previous threads the number of people who were Salsify "ever year" enthusiasts was tiny, and the number of "grew once won't bother again" mugs was easily the majority.

Maybe I'll grow a pot full next year.

[Swing Swang]

>These "unpopular for a reason" veg : how come they are sold on every seed rack in every garden centre in the land, rather than being specialist-purchase only?

Because they sell!

Repressed veg-man walks up and down with his trolley on the shortest day of the year and sees a new Eiffel tower shaped veg with a Taj Mahal on the top that promises frost resistent 'gourmet' tubers, spinach-flavoured thinnings that can be eaten both cooked and raw, and fruits that have a savoury curry flavour when unripe and a fizzy-sherbert-strawberries-and-cream flavour when ripe.

Actually repressed veg-man doesn't even get a look in, 'cos frustrated lizzie-lotte gets their first.

The reality, of course, is that to stand any chance of germination the seeds need to be kept at minus 20 for a month, then heated in a thermal spring for a fortnight, before being planted in pure bat guano from Timbuktoo. The seedlings then need to be brought on in a tropical greenhouse of 38 Celcius, 95% humidity, with a constant 16 hours of sunlight for eighteen months.

But veg-man doesn't give up! Oh no! He'll buy the astronomically priced seeds for at least three years before latching on to the next 'big thing' (apparantly a non-invasive artichoke that doesnt make you f*art, but does turn you pee all the colours of the rainbow).

SS

[PennyS]

Actually I love salsify.

I usually stock up on the tinned stuff whenever I'm on the continent.  But fresh can't be beat.  That's why I grow it.

Probably just me then 

[SUTTY1]

Thanks for all the replies, serious and funny.

Hope i have similar taste to you PennyS

Have never eaten them before but planted salsify and scorznera this year just to have something else to eat fresh in the winter. Normally only have leeks, parsnip, some beets and the odd cabbage.

Any other suggestions welcome

[zazen999]

But if you can eat something, and you like it; doesn't the fact that it keeps coming back make it a good thing?

I have a permanent leek bed; the darned things keep coming back and I am planning on leaving them to collect see year in, year out. Will never have to buy the seed again

And horseradish - I give it away in chunks to all and sundry.....we don't use it so to us it IS a weed, but people seem to like it  :blink: