Mammoth Salsify - Vilmorin seeds

The Mammoth Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) is a variety cultivated for its large, creamy white, long, and cylindrical root. It is consumed cooked, au gratin, sliced with mayonnaise, or as an accompaniment to meats or fish. You can sow it from March to May for a harvest from October to April.

Salsify is a biennial root vegetable that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It has become almost a secret in vegetable gardens, losing out to Scorzonera, and is difficult to find in stores, as its cultivation is now mainly destined for the production of canned or frozen products.

It is a vegetable with a slightly sweet flavour, somewhat similar to that of artichoke, so you will enjoy it freshly harvested from the garden. It can be prepared in various ways: children generally enjoy it with béchamel sauce, but you can also eat it cold with a cream-based sauce. Its young leaves can also be consumed and are excellent fresh in salads.

Salsify is a very good source of fibre and minerals. It contains inulin, a non-digestible sugar, and has a low calorie value.

In the garden salsify thrives in the sun in fairly rich, fresh, deep, and well-prepared soil.

Harvest: 7 to 8 months after sowing, as needed (they can be stored in the ground), by digging them up with a spade.

Storage: salsify can be stored for a few days in a cool place, wrapped in paper towels. They can be frozen after being blanched for a few minutes in boiling water. They can also be stored in a cellar for a few months, buried in sand.

Gardener's tip: regularly weed and hoe, and cut the flower stems as soon as they appear.