The salsify can be grown in your own garden in just a few steps. Once it's out of the seedling stage, it's easy to care for and robust. But what should you pay attention to when growing in order to avoid mistakes?
How to grow salsify in the garden?
For successful cultivation of salsify in the garden, sowing should take place between the end of February and mid-March, loosen the soil thoroughly and choose a sunny to partially shaded location. Regular watering, sporadic fertilization and weed removal are enough care and the harvest takes place from October to spring.
The first and most error-prone step: sowing
The first step in growing salsify is also the step that has the most sources of error. Sowing should therefore not be done carelessly. There are several points that need to be kept in mind before and during sowing.
Please note the following:
- best period for sowing: end of February to mid-March
- in cool regions: postpone sowing to the beginning of April
- do not use seeds older than one year
- handle the fragile seeds carefully
- before sowing: Loosen the soil thoroughly (at least 30 cm deep)
The stalk-shaped seeds of salsify are sown 2 cm deep. Pre-growing is not recommended as the young plants are extremely sensitive. When planting in rows, a distance of 6 to 10 cm should be maintained between plants and a distance of 25 to 30 cm between rows.
The demands on location and soil
A sunny to semi-shady location meets the needs of salsify. The following properties should be present in relation to the soil:
- profound
- loosened up
- humos
- moist
- without stones
- not condensed
- ideal: sandy soils
Is care necessary here?
The salsify does not require any special care. It is enough to water them regularly (the soil should never dry out), fertilize sporadically with compost and remove weeds. As a rule, it is not affected by diseases or pests.
When and how is the harvest done?
If the salsify was sown in time and its leaves wither in autumn, the harvest time comes into focus. The harvest begins in October and can extend through the winter (main season) until spring. The roots, which are up to 35 cm long, are exposed with a spade and removed from the ground.
Tips & Tricks
The cultivation of salsify is successful if the plants are allowed to grow in mixed culture with cabbage, leek or lettuce.
