How to grow Salsify in Australia

Difficulty: Intermediate
Sun: Full sun
Water: 4 litres a week, watered every 3 days
Spacing: 15 cm
Time to harvest: 120 days
Time to germinate: 10 days
Soil pH: 6 to 7.5
Frost tolerance: Frost hardy

A long root crop for full sun in deep, loose, stone free soil dug over well so roots grow straight. Sow direct as it dislikes transplanting.

At a glance

Region	When to sow	Regional note
South East Queensland	March to June
Northern Rivers NSW	March to June
Sydney & Coastal NSW	March to July	Longer cool season than SEQ. Sow salsify direct Mar to Jul for roots through winter and spring.
Melbourne & Victoria	February to July	Extended cool season. Deep roots love Melbourne conditions.
Adelaide & SA	February to July	Extended cool season. Good conditions.
Perth & WA	March to July	Sow Mar to Jul direct with fresh seed. Roots grow through the mild winter and are dug in spring.
Tasmania	September to November	Sow Sep to Nov. Dig through winter. Thrives in the cool.
Canberra & ACT	September to November	Sow Sep to Nov into warming soil; long season root. Frost sweetens; dig from late autumn through winter.
North Queensland	Not suited	Not viable. Cool-season root crop.
Darwin & Top End	Not suited	Not viable. Cool-season root crop.

Roots are ready when full sized, usually after the leaves have grown tall. Loosen deeply with a fork before lifting, as the long roots snap easily.

Cool dark place in sand for weeks. Fridge wrapped for 1 to 2 weeks.