Growing salsify: sowing, care & harvest

Growing black salsify in your own garden: We present suitable varieties and give tips and tricks on everything from sowing to care and fertilization to harvesting.

The name Salsify (Scorzonera hispanica) is derived from the black skin of this tasty vegetable. The origin of the hardy root plant is believed to be in the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and parts of North Africa. The good-tasting deep-rooted asparagus, also known as winter asparagus, has spread across Central Europe for many years. There is a certain similarity to the Oat root, but it is of a much poorer quality. For this reason, this species is also less and less cultivated. The largest growing areas of black salsify are in France. In Germany, too, the tasty root is grown more and more often and has a number of names preserved, for example garden black root, winter asparagus, Spanish or real black salsify or Scorzenroot. In English it is known as scorzonera or black salsify. More and more supermarkets have fresh salsify permanently in their range over the winter. The garden black root is highly recommended for cultivation in the German garden. So you have wonderful vegetables from your own garden even in the cold season without having to make a lot of effort.

There are different types to choose from; a few popular ones, briefly summarized here:

• Antonia: high yield, no branching of the long roots.
• Duplex: long shelf life and high yield, variety with long and unbranched roots; great taste.
• Annual giants: long, deep black roots, no branches in the roots; easy to harvest; good flavor.
• Hoffmann's black stake: great to store; proven variety with longer roots and good aroma; easy harvest; branched roots.
• Meres: new variety; very productive with unbranched roots; robust against powdery mildew.
• Russian giants: traditional variety; hardly any roots in loose soils.
• Black Peter: proven variety with a good aroma; compact with high yields.
• Improved non-shooting giant: well-known variety with long and smooth roots, unbranched; good flavor.
• Verbeterde Reuzen Nietschieters: long roots, thick and hardly branched; high yield and easy to store.

Growing salsify - this is how it works step by step:

1. The soil for cultivation should be prepared a little, for example with a peat-free and nutrient-rich vegetable soil like our Plantura Organic tomato & vegetable soil. Alternatively, compost can also be used.
2. Sowing can be done in the last weeks of April or in autumn. If you have enough space, you can sow at the end of the year. Please note that the plants remain in the bed until the coming winter of the following year!
3. The distance between the individual plants should be about 15 cm, planted in a row 25 to 30 cm are sufficient.
4. The black salsify has no great demands, unless you should make sure that there is an adequate water supply during dry summer days.
5. The harvest can begin from the end of October until November. During mild winter periods it is also possible to harvest the roots well into February. The shelf life is not very good, so the best place for the roots is in the ground. So you can harvest as needed even after a longer period of time.

Important tip: Be careful when harvesting! Damaged roots quickly lose the valuable sap and become very wobbly as a result.

Root vegetables are extremely diverse and ancient species, such as the almost forgotten one Sugar root (Sium sisarum), are increasingly being grown in the garden again. With us you will find everything about the sweet root, its requirements and the cultivation.