Salsola

[willowstar]

Hello
Has anyone got any experience of growing this vegetable? I got the seeds from the real seed company and have sowed two batches now with absolutely no success at all. THe first I tried in a seed tray, the second straight into the ground.

Any ideas???

[TPeers]

I had to look this up - sounds facinating!

Salsola (also known as Tumbleweed, Saltwort or Russian thistle) is a genus of herbs, subshrubs, shrubs and small trees in the family Amaranthaceae, native to Africa, Asia, and Europe; they typically grow on flat, often dry and/or somewhat saline soils, with some species in saltmarshes.[1] Recent genetic studies[2] have however shown that the genus as traditionally circumscribed is paraphyletic, and many species are likely to be transferred to other genera in the future.


In several annual species, those known popularly as "tumbleweeds", the plants break away from their roots in the autumn, and are driven by the wind as a light, rolling mass, scattering seed far and wide. The seeds are produced in such large numbers that the plant has not developed protective coatings or food reserves for the coiled plant embryos. The deep, ineradicable taproot survives to grow again the following season.

Doesn't sound like a good garden plant though!

Terry

[TPeers]

Quote is from Wikipedia!

[Alice]

I looked it up too Willowstar. Couldn't find anything useful or suggested it was a vegetable. What kind of a vegetable is it, or what were you going to use the plant for.

[Snadger]

I looked it up too Willowstar. Couldn't find anything useful or suggested it was a vegetable. What kind of a vegetable is it, or what were you going to use the plant for.

I don't know, but by the sound of it the problem may be keeping it on the plate long enough to eat it!

[muckdiva]

I bought some of these from Realseeds too. Planted some quite early this year (March) direct into the garden and 3 germinated. They seem quite slow growing so far, but not much bothered by pests. As the seed doesn't keep, I've sowed the rest on the lottie and when I looked the other day there were some more shoots, so will let you know how I get on.

Realseeds reckon this is a salad or cooking vegetable much sought after in Italy, but because it can be tricky to produce reliable seed (only keeps for 6 months or so), it's quite rare to see.

I seem to remember the exact name on the pack is Liscari Sativa, if that helps with further searches on the internet...

[momol]

I looked it up too Willowstar. Couldn't find anything useful or suggested it was a vegetable. What kind of a vegetable is it, or what were you going to use the plant for.

Hi Alice,

It is used as vegetables like what Muckdiva said, young shoot are eaten like salad, when it turn a bit older, it is still edible but has to be blanch due to toughtness. This plant can be used to eliminate salt accumulations in the ground ( salt built up from chemical fertilizer or at coastaal area ). It can be grown in normal soil or at container with some salt water.
It said to be difficult to germinate and it need constant warm weather. I haven't germinate mine yet.

Momol

[Alice]

Thanks Momol and Muckdiva. Very interesting.

[willowstar]

thanks all, muckdiva glad to hear some of yours have germinated. I just fancied trying it for a bit of different texture in salads and because I got carried away ordering from real seeds because of their minimum order rule!

I am going to sow another little patch today when the weather warms up a bit and see if anything happens.

I'll update if/when I get a result :-)

[momol]

Hi willowstar,

After sending some reply, I went to saw some of my salsola ( 26 may ) today I notice 2 has germinated I germinate them in small pot at windowsill. How is yours ? hope you got them germinate too.

Momol

[willowstar]

Hi Momol

still nothing from mine yet. The seeds have been in the ground about four weeks so I am fairly sure they aren't going to do anything. I am going to re-sow after this rain has stopped! Glad yours have come on OK, hope it tastes good :-)

[momol]

Hi Willowstar,

My Salsola are germinating more ( I have now around 10 of them ). Did you germinate yours in pots ? I did, and I actually overwater them too ( perhaps that is the reason it germinate )....
I am not sure if that is the correct way ( over watering ) as the seed package give no instructions( it was from evergreen seed company ) , but perhaps you could try couple in this way. I notice that most germinated ones are those from bigger seeds.
I will not be giving any more water until they need it. Will keep you posted and hope you could germinate yours too.
Good luck,

Momol

[willowstar]

Hi Momol

Just to let you know, I think that 3 have germinated out of a about 20. Not great, but at least it is something. They are slightly funny looking aren't they? I wasn't sure if they were my seeds coming through or little bits of twig from the tree above. How is yours getting on?

[momol]

Hi Willowstars,

Good to hear yours finally germinated . I have germinated another group some 10 days ago, they were germinating in 3 days or so too, they are now 1 weeks old. Here are some pictures of them, both from the earlier group and the latest germinated ones. they do look a bit funny ...
I have taken the pictures using my mobile, the resolutions aren't perfect but it gives you some idea how they are doing... enjoy

Momol