Salsify

Salsify, Tragopogon porrifolius, is a hardy biennial grown mainly for its long, slender, creamy-white roots. Their delicate flavour is often compared with oysters. The roots are rarely found in shops, so a home-grown row offers an unusual winter crop that can be lifted from mid-autumn through winter and into early spring. Frost makes the roots sweeter and more tender.

In its first year, salsify forms leaves and a storage root. Unharvested roots return to growth the following spring and can supply edible shoots and leaves. If allowed to continue, the plant produces attractive pink-purple flowers in its second summer, followed by fluffy dandelion-like seedheads. The unopened buds may be cooked and the petals can be scattered over salads.

Salsify is related to, but distinct from, scorzonera or black salsify, Pseudopodospermum hispanicum. Scorzonera has dark roots and yellow flowers; true salsify has pale roots and purple-pink flowers.

Seed choice is limited because salsify remains an uncommon vegetable in the UK. One improved variety is generally offered under several closely related names. It produces larger, better-flavoured roots than the straight species.

Recommended varieties

Salsify ‘Mammoth’

Produces long, tasty roots and is also sold as ‘Sandwich Island Mammoth’ or ‘Sandwich Island’. Buy fresh seed for each sowing. Like parsnip seed, salsify seed loses viability quickly, so an old packet may give sparse and uneven germination.

Cultivar sourceAllotment Pro variety guide

Choose an open, sunny position with light, free-draining soil at least 30cm deep. Remove weeds and as many stones as possible, then loosen compacted ground with a fork. Stones, fresh manure and hard layers can cause the long roots to fork or branch. Ideally use ground where organic matter was added for a previous crop, then rake the surface to a fine texture before sowing.

Salsify performs well in soil containing mature garden compost, but do not add fresh manure immediately before the crop. In a no-dig bed, apply a settled mulch of well-rotted organic matter ahead of sowing and make the drills directly into its fine surface.

For container growing, choose a large pot at least 30cm wide and 30cm deep. Fill it with moist peat-free multipurpose compost and ensure surplus water can escape. Deeper containers make it easier for the roots to develop straight and to be removed without snapping.

Direct sowing in the final position is important because transplanting encourages forked roots. Wait until the soil begins to warm in spring. Make a shallow drill about 1cm deep, water its base, sow the fresh seed thinly and evenly, then cover with soil. Leave 30cm between rows.

Once seedlings appear, gradually thin them to 10cm apart, retaining the strongest plants. Alternatively, place two or three seeds at 10cm intervals and remove the smaller seedlings if more than one germinates. Germination is naturally slow and erratic and usually takes two to three weeks, so keep the drill moist and clearly marked rather than assuming an empty patch has failed.

Use the same method in a 30cm-wide and 30cm-deep container. Space groups evenly, cover with about 1cm of compost and thin to one strong plant at each final position.

Salsify grows slowly but needs little specialist care. Keep seedlings watered during dry weather until established. Mature ground-grown plants generally need extra water only during prolonged dry spells; steady moisture helps prevent roots splitting or turning fibrous. Container compost dries much faster and should be checked regularly throughout the growing season.

Apply a thick mulch of homemade garden compost around the plants in late spring. This limits evaporation and suppresses weed germination without disturbing the roots. No additional feeding is normally required.

Weed regularly so the slow crop is not overwhelmed. Hoe carefully between rows and hand weed close to each crown to avoid cutting or loosening the top of the root. Protect young seedlings from slugs and snails, especially during damp weather.

Begin lifting roots in mid-autumn. They may remain in the ground and be dug as needed through winter into early spring, with frost improving flavour. The roots can reach about 30cm long, snap easily and bleed sticky white latex when cut. Loosen the soil deeply with a fork and lever each root out rather than pulling it by the leaves.

In very cold areas, or on ground that becomes waterlogged, lift the crop and store sound roots in sand or sawdust in a cool, frost-free garage or cellar. Where roots remain outside, a layer of straw or plastic-free fleece from late autumn provides useful cold protection.

The tough skin is inedible and raw roots release sticky latex, so steam or otherwise cook them before peeling. The flesh can then be mashed, roasted or sautéed, or added to soups and stews.

Leave a few roots unharvested if you want an extra spring crop. In early spring, cut the old leaves to about 2.5cm above ground. When new shoots emerge, mound 10–15cm of soil over them to exclude light; on heavy soil use straw or an upturned bucket instead. Harvest the pale shoots when they appear above the cover and cook them like asparagus.

Unblanched spring leaves can also be cut at about 15cm tall and used like spring greens, although they are less tender. Plants retained into their second summer form edible flower buds that may be steamed or sautéed, followed by purple-pink flowers with edible petals. Remove faded flowers to prevent enthusiastic self-seeding, or collect mature seed for the next spring sowing.

Poorly shaped roots are usually caused by growing conditions rather than infection. Remove stones before sowing, avoid recently manured ground and do not transplant. Water in dry spells to reduce splitting, fibrous growth and premature bolting. Lift with a fork and work slowly so the long brittle roots do not snap.