Topic: Water melon and Scorzonera seeds

[Viks]

Went to Lidl today and picked up some seeds for 29p each including some Water Melon - Sugar Baby and Scorznera (Black Salsify). I have never grown either.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

THanks
Viks

[Mave]

Dug up the last of my scorzonera from my plot yesterday.  Had it for tea quite nice a different taste from other vegetables but palatable.  Very easy to grow, and over-winters well.  Grew watermelon from seeds bought from Lidl a few years ago. But didn’t look after them very well fruits small but quite sweet.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Scorzonera wants a good soil, but it's quite easy. Be careful when you lift it; the roots are brittle.

[Tora]

Wow, I wanted to grow sugar baby watermelon. That's cheap! I'll definitely buy a packet ;D
I just remembered I have a packet of scorzonera seeds (unopened) from Lidl, bought in 2002... :-[ Do they still germinate? ???

[supersprout]

Would definitely take 20 seed and germinate them now indoors - if you get lift off you will know the % germination rate for the rest of the package  8)

[bupster]

Apparently salsify and scorzonera seeds don't keep well (going to try them both this year) so best sow them quick as you can!

[cleo]

Scorzenera are as easy to grow as carrots/parsnips-well worth growing.

Sugar baby is probably the easiest watermelon-treat it like a melon but remember to give the fruit some support-

[Mrs Ava]

Make sure you remove all of the root tho as just like a dandelion, it will be back up again and again and again and again!  Good job my rotation plan is up the wall, and a good job I like scorzonera steamed with butter!

[Viks]

Thanks for all your responses. Afew more questions if any of you could help....

What does Scorzonera taste like?

Does it go under roots for rotation purposes?

What is the best way to support the water melons?

How much space will it occupy in the greenhouse?

[amphibian]

Make sure you remove all of the root tho as just like a dandelion, it will be back up again and again and again and again!

Can you not just give it a permanant spot then?

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you leave the odd one, the flowers in the second year are nice. I'm not sure whether a permanent spot would work, but it's not that hard to dig up.

[amphibian]

Thanks for all your responses. Afew more questions if any of you could help....

What does Scorzonera taste like?

Does it go under roots for rotation purposes?

What is the best way to support the water melons?

How much space will it occupy in the greenhouse?

Scorzonera is suposed to taste a bit like oysters or asparagus, they are devine steamed with butter.

You can include it with your roots, or give it its own bed, the roots get fatter year on year.

Water melons can be grown as a single cordon, up a cane, with side stems supported on wires parallel to the ground, the fruit can then be supported in string bags suspended from the roof.

Train it up the walls and then over head to the ridge, they don't take up an awful lot of space, my granddad squeezed them into his smal greenhouse with everything else.

[amphibian]

If you leave the odd one, the flowers in the second year are nice. I'm not sure whether a permanent spot would work, but it's not that hard to dig up.

Aren't the flowers meant to ward of carrot fly, as well?

[stuffed]

How long do the roots tend to grow. I have some quite deep pots and was hoping to grow some Scorzonera in these as I have heavy clay soil i my garden with lots of stones/bricks ::)
I got some seeds from lidl and am going to give it a go I figure if they hit the bottom of the pot they just won't grow any longer