Lidl black salsify seeds

[FoxHillGardener]

For the vast investment of 29p I've got a packet of black salsify from Lidl. I did a search on here and found several of you tried them last year, but some mixed views about the effort/flavour ratio. So, what do you reckon? Worth the effort or not. Obviously, I'll grow them anyway but was curious as to how you found them last year

[Snadger]

I noticed these as well but was in a bit of a hurry so didn't read the label!

There are two types of 'vegetable oyster' from what I can gather, Salsify and scorzonora? which is black. I suspect thats what these are?

I might grab a packet next time I'm in as I tried Salsify last year but none of it germinated!

[johnygreenfeet]

i got some of these as well they look horrible but in the interest of trying something new for the money wot the heckperhaps we can con-pair later on !

[terrier]

I grew scorzonora 2 years ago. The roots really do have a good flavour but a very poor yield for the space they take up, but maybe that was just my poor plant management. I may have another go this season.

[milliebecks]

I tried salsify last year and was really pleasntly surprised. Not difficult to grow and really tasty - although a pain to prepare in the kitchen (think long, hairy pink fir apple!)

Meant to add that for 29p you can't go wrong! Now where's my nearest Lidl

[smallblueplanet]

Devizes?

Bottom corner of webpage - store search.

Lidl Online

[milliebecks]

Oh er! Is there really? Not far from me at all (near Chippenham) - feel a shopping trip coming on
Thanks SBP

[Burnzie]

My allotment neighbour grew it about 10 years ago. I dont know what it tasted like but because half a row ran to seed, every summer all our plots get a crop of beautiful purple flowers !

Burnzie

[FoxHillGardener]

I tried salsify last year and was really pleasntly surprised. Not difficult to grow and really tasty - although a pain to prepare in the kitchen (think long, hairy pink fir apple!)

glad to hear you rate it for taste, but it will have to be good if it's annoying to prepare. I'm sure I read somewhere about cooking it first then the skin "slips right off". Hmm. we shall see

[FoxHillGardener]

My allotment neighbour grew it about 10 years ago. I dont know what it tasted like but because half a row ran to seed, every summer all our plots get a crop of beautiful purple flowers !

Burnzie

Purple flowers - good. If I don't like eating it (or preparing it!) then at least it will do for pretty

Also, meant to say there seem to be plenty of seeds in packet, so I'm happy to send out the rest to anyone interested who doesn't get hold of any

[sfc]

glad to hear you rate it for taste, but it will have to be good if it's annoying to prepare. I'm sure I read somewhere about cooking it first then the skin "slips right off". Hmm. we shall see

I grew it this year as my "lets give it a go" crop - planted in the spring and dug some up last weekend. It was easy to grow, but the leaves are thin so don't provide much cover for weeds and then the bl**dy deer eat ate them anyway.

They are abut 10" to 12" roots and snap easily if you don't ease them out. You wash them, cut them into about 4" lengths and boil them for 10 minutes, then cool. Once cooled, they can relatively easily be skinned. I found they left a tough gluey residue on the pan I used to boil them in, so don't use your best one. Once skinned, you can fry them in butter, make gratin out of them with cream, etc. Unfortunately, not to my personal taste, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

HTH.

[rosheen]

Grew them 2 years ago, cook them first then they are easy to peel , quite tasty - nothing to write home about. They grew again last year and I left them to flower they were really lovely, my flowers were yellow - we're probably not talking about the same vegetable - i tend to have some grey moments about where i plant stuff

[FoxHillGardener]

Ithey left a tough gluey residue on the pan I used to boil them in,
HTH.

urgh! That doesn't make them sound very appealing

[terrier]

Grew them 2 years ago, cook them first then they are easy to peel , quite tasty - nothing to write home about. They grew again last year and I left them to flower they were really lovely, my flowers were yellow - we're probably not talking about the same vegetable - i tend to have some grey moments about where i plant stuff

I let a plant run to seed and got yellow daisy like flowers as well.

[quark1]

I went to my local Lidl today with the intention of taking a browse of what's on offer - only to find that its undergoing a 3 week refurb - not opening again until 1st March!