How to grow salsify

Tragopogon porrifolius · Asteraceae · Vegetable

Salsify is a cool-season vegetable in the Asteraceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 110–150 days. It is one of the toughest crops here, standing through hard frost and often improving for it.

Grower’s note: A long, thin, cream-coloured root with a faint oyster flavour, grown like a parsnip. Needs deep, loose, stone-free soil and a long season. Flavour improves after hard frost and roots can be dug through winter. Use fresh seed each year.

Sowing

Sow about 0.5″ deep, into soil between 45–75°F — germination is quickest near 60°F. It is slow and often erratic to germinate (10–21 days). It does not transplant well, so sow it in its final position rather than starting it in pots.

Spacing & layout

Give each plant about 4″ along the row with roughly 18″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 9 per square foot. Allow at least 24″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 18″ deep.

Fitting it to your season

As a cool-season crop, salsify does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat.

Quick facts

When to plant salsify

Companions

Common problems

Pests: carrot rust fly.

Diseases & disorders: white rust, leaf spot.

Same family (Asteraceae)

Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.

Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.