Other names
vegetable oyster, white salsify, purple salsify
Botanical name
Tragopogon porrifolius
Family / Genus
Asteraceae / Tragopogon
Plant category
Root and tuber vegetables
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Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun / partial shade
Nutrient requirements
Medium feeder
Difficulty level
Intermediate
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
A - tall or wide crops, almost year-round
Culture (according to Sister C. Weinrich)
Companion crop
Growing period
200 days
Row spacing
35 cm
Plant spacing
10 cm
Sowing depth
3 cm
Germination temperature (minimum)
3 °C
Germination temperature (optimal)
15 - 25 °C
Germination type
Dark
Planting & harvest times of Salsify
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Direct sowing
Harvest
Harvest (next year)
Direct sowing from Mid March to Late April. After a growing period of 200 days, harvest can begin around Late October and continues until Mid April next year.
Good and bad companions of Salsify
Good neighbours
Radish
Radishes germinate quickly and mark the rows of slow-germinating salsify. They are harvested before the salsify need the space.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Bad neighbours
Sunflower
Both are composites and hosts of white mould. The sclerotia persist in the soil for up to 10 years.
Very bad neighbours
Predecessors and successors of Salsify
Good predecessors
Bad predecessors
Black kale
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Brussels sprouts
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Cauliflower
Cabbage leaves coarse crop residues behind. Salsify grown afterwards forms many side roots.
Rotation break: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Flower Sprouts
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Kale
Brassicas leave coarse crop residues. Salsify grown afterwards forms many side roots.
Rotation break: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Maize
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Pointed cabbage
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Red cabbage
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Savoy cabbage
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Sunflower
Both are composites and hosts of white mould. The sclerotia persist in the soil for up to 10 years.
Rotation break: 4 years
White cabbage
roots grow poorly through the hard plant residues of previous crops
Rotation break: 3 years
Good successors
Lamb's lettuce
Lasting effect: 3 years
Bad successors
Sunflower
Both are composites and hosts of white mould. The sclerotia persist in the soil for up to 10 years.
Rotation break: 4 years
Harvest and processing
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