Black Salsify

[theothermarg]

Picked up a packet in Lidl ( don,t ask me why, just because it was there, I guess) has anybody grown it?it says the tender fleshy roots harvested in winter are rich in vitamins. is it worth the ground and effort?
if anybody knows ,please tell
marg

[theothermarg]

[saddad]

It's the other name for Scorzonera... probably not worth the ground but I am trying to grow some... it is perennial so if the roots aren't up to eating you can leave them in for another season... problem I have is getting them to germinate!
;D

[Vortex]

You're not the only one - failed every year for the past 3 years. I'm going to try the kitchen paper parsnip method this year.

[cleo]

I think they are worth growing and have never had any problems with germination.

Sow mid spring with a couple or so seeds every three inches

[bedrockdave]

had better results with germination than salsify but wear gloves when cleaning as they stain your hands,they taste good so its worth it

[Jeannine]

We picked some a couple of weeks ago and I agree they are easier to germinate than white salsify.  Supposed to taste like oysters but I don't get that, just another flavoured root veggie, thin though and a bit fiddly to prepare. I just planted ours alongside the carrots.

XX Jeannine

[RosieMcPosie]

We chitted ours like parsnips and then dropped the germinated seeds into loo rolls filled with compost. Both Salsify and Scorzenera seem to be doing fine.

[star]

How tall do both these grow please, so I know where to put them to make sure other things get enough light if they get very big

[sawfish]

I grew them in situ (mid April) with much success a couple of years ago, they grow to about 18 inches with very pretty shiny thick green leaves and eventually a yellow flower. Nothing seems to eat them either.

They taste a bit like a bland parsnip but worth trying, I wasn't going to bother again but the girlfriend found some interesting recipes, very trendy in London restaurants you know. I grew them alongside Salsify but it tended to fork really badly so I'm sticking to Scorzonera this year.

http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~stueber/lindman/40.jpg

[star]

Thanks Sawfish, I have Russian Giant, so I expect they might get a bit taller ???

[sawfish]

thats what mine were

[theothermarg]

thanks for the info,was talking to someone at the lotty this morning(before being rained off) who said they were fiddly to prepare but I liked the bit about nothing eating them! what a treat not having to protect from the queue of beasties waiting to eat whatever I grow!
marg

[star]

Thats brilliant news Sawfish, thanks :D

I like the pest free bit too ;) ;)

[sawfish]

I actually started them off in a seed tray this year and waited till some started sprouting, then I took the sprouted ones out and raked around for the rest which had also just started sprouting but were still underground (I didnt want to leave them long as they're tap rooted).

I then filled 25 toilet roll inner tubes with regular compost and placed each sprouting seed with the tiny tap root facing down and the long seed horizontal (they are growing in an L shape at this point) and covered them with a smidgen of compost.

They seem to be taking off again which is good as I thought they might stop. I think starting them off in the toilet rolls would have been the proper way to go and have saved hassle, but my toilet rolls are like gold dust and I dont want to use them up on a non starter veg.