Sandwich Island

Season Overview

Description

Old variety from England. Originally, the wild form comes from the Mediterranean region, where the root vegetable has been eaten since ancient times. Almost forgotten, frost-hardy, delicious root vegetable with filigree, purple, edible flowers in the second year. A delicacy in England as a "vegetable oyster." The leaves are prepared like spinach, the root tastes sweet, spicy with oyster flavor. The roots are prepared like asparagus or salsify. Thorough cleaning makes peeling unnecessary. The flowers, not yet opened, can be steamed like vegetables.

Growing tips

Germination at 8 - 12°C approx. 10 - 15 days. Cultivation as for black salsify. Water sufficiently during dry periods, otherwise the roots will become woody and the plant will start to sprout. Harvest with a digging fork, cover in sand and store in a dark place. For a winter harvest, cover the beds with straw. The shoots of the plant are also edible, so cut off the leaves in winter and pile up the roots approx. 10-15 cm. The shoots can then be harvested in spring. Does not need to be fertilized during growth, but preparing the soil with fertilizer makes sense. Remove weeds. The milky sap from the roots can stain hands and clothes, so it is best to peel or cut under water.

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Medium

Plant distance

15 cm

Row spacing

30 cm

Seeding depth

2 cm