How to Grow Salsify
Salsify At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -18°C
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Biennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Salsify handles frost, so sow it about 2 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow 2 to 3 seeds 1.5 cm deep every 8 cm in deep, loose soil with no stones, and keep it damp. They sprout in 7 to 21 days: keep the strongest seedling at each spot. Use fresh seed, since it loses its power to sprout within a year or two.
Salsify is an old-fashioned root with a mild taste that some say is like oysters, which is why it is also called oyster plant. It needs a long season of about 4 months, so it is sown once in spring and dug in fall. Never move the seedlings, since that bends the long, thin root.
When To Start
Salsify likes cool weather. Sow it in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Salsify?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Salsify Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Salsify Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow salsify outdoors in deep, loose, stone-free soil
2 weeks before your last frost
Dig salsify roots after a frost or two
1 week after your first frost
Did you water your salsify seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the salsify seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 31 days after you plant it
Your salsify is growing! Keep the bed weeded, since the young plants have thin, grassy leaves that are easy to lose.
About 61 days after you plant it
Your salsify is a slow one, and the roots keep growing. They taste best dug after a frost.
About 101 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your salsify.
About 120 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Salsify's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–21 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow salsify in full sun, or part shade in hot areas.
- 2Dig the soil 30 cm deep, pick out stones and mix in well-rotted compost, which is all the food it needs, but never fresh manure, which splits the roots.
- 3Water evenly so the soil never dries out completely, and the roots stay smooth and tender.
- 4Weed carefully by hand, since young salsify looks a lot like grass.
- 5Lay mulch between the rows to keep weeds down and moisture in.
- 6It can grow in a pot at least 30 cm deep.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~120
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
20 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Dig from autumn after frost; leave roots in the ground over winter
How to Harvest
- 1Start digging in fall after the first frost or two, which makes the roots sweeter.
- 2Dig a deep trench beside the row with a fork or spade, then ease each root out, since they snap easily.
- 3The roots ooze a sticky, staining sap, so wear gloves or peel them after boiling.
- 4Leave the rest in the ground under a thick layer of mulch and dig them as needed through winter, or store them in a bag in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- 5Scrub, boil or roast them, and drop peeled pieces into water with a squeeze of lemon so they do not turn brown.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Salsify flowers in its second year, so leave a few of your best roots in the ground over winter under mulch. In late spring they send up purple flowers that open in the morning and close by noon, then turn into big, fluffy seed heads like a dandelion. Pick the heads as soon as they puff up, or tie a paper bag over them, before the wind blows the seeds away. Pull the long, thin seeds from the fluff and dry them for a week on a plate. Store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place and sow them the next spring, since the seed only keeps 1 to 2 years.
Seed Production
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