This topic contains 8 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by bobandcogs 7 years, 10 months ago.
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I’m sure Charles will give you a more informed opinion, but my understanding is that long rooted veggies cannot be grown in modules, and that includes scorzonera. They send down long tap roots, and the module blocks the root. So sadly you need to sow in situ.
That said, I have experimented with carrots in deep modules, and this year I have some touchon carrots in 5″ deep modules. Scorzonera is very long, but I suppose you could grow one in a drain pipe filled with soil …
My problem is stony clay soil, and one apporach is to use a broken spade handle to make a deep hole, fill with compost, then plant the seed, thereby avoiding the root forking, and giving the veggy a good start in life.
Its a good answer Leif.
No rush to sow Cima di Rapa, it thrives in the damp coolness of autumn so August is good for sowing it, along with salad rocket and most oriental veg.Thanks Charles. I’ll sow some Pak Choi this August.
I grow scorzonera, mainly because I tried it and salsify, and scorzonera has the enormous advantage of being perennial, and after two years has decent roots, while salsify is annual and after one year unimpressive. I sow direct in spring, and eat it the winter after next – very delicious with cream, garlic and parmesan (but then what isn’t)
… along the same lines; after years and years of almost zero germination of parsnip seed I followed the advice of a friend and sowed into compost packed toilet rolls – in the greenhouse. germination was 100%. Following the advice, I planted out almost immediately to ensure that the long root hadn’t reached the bottom of the compost and was damaged in the moving / planting. The result was startling. At RHS Rosemoor last year I noticed that they had done the same with carrots (altho’ I’m fairly certain they’d be using a branded tube rather than a toilet roll inner!) This should work for scorzonera ….
…. and back to the scorzonera: in Italy it’s grown as a perennial for its leaves ….. a valuable salad leaf in the spring, apparently.
I haven’t yet tried it …… but I’m plucking up the courage!
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