Scorzonera

[shirlton]

Has anyone grown it and if so what does it taste like. I'm going to try some different stuff this year but don't want to waste me money.

[shirlton]

[saddad]

I have some growing, but haven't got to the eating stage yet...  :)

[Mrs Ava]

I have - a sweet nutty taste I suppose,  firm flesh but when you peel it, chuck it in a bowl of acidulated water to keep it nice and white.  Grew that and salsify and still have both coming up from the bits I left behind! 

[shirlton]

Thanks for the info

[asbean]

We grew both year before last and found them tasteless.  Won't bother again, so put all the seeds into a swap.

[OllieC]

Tried them both & I have to say, we were very very disappointed. Tasted like mud but without the nutiness. Much better to use the "root" space for parsnips or carrots, IMHO...

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have two problems with salsify and scorzonera. Firstly, the very brittle roots, which tend to break as I'm digging them up. Secondly, I can't grow decent sized roots.

[Trevor_D]

They don't grow to a decent size, Robert, even in good soil in a good year. I've grown them a few times because I quite like the flavour, but roots on our soil (London clay) are so much bother anyway that for the size of crop I'd rather waste my time growing carrots and parsnips.

[thifasmom]

i'm planning to try them in containers this year to beat the problem of clay soil.

[terrier]

I'm not sure they're container veg unless the container is very deep. I've grown Scorzonera and think it's delicious, you use the whole plant so no waste. As has been said it grows so deep, it's almost impossible to get the roots out without breaking them so the next year you get the leaves growing on high stems that you can eat. It might be an idea to grow it in tubes like show veg then that wouldn't take up much room. I don't know if it was just my poor growing habits but I had very poor germination when I grew it.

[thifasmom]

so is it the a one root per plant vegetable like carrots etc and how deep would you say the container would need to be? oh and how do you prepare the leaves?

[artichoke]

Bought and ate some today from a farm shop. Absolutely delicious. Boiled it, fried it in butter with lemon juice, definitely going to grow it.

A cross between asparagus and parsnip.

[artichoke]

PS it was grown in Belgium, clumsy thick roots, but well worth it. If they can grow it, we can.