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How to grow black salsify

Frost-hardy · Daisy family

When to sow and plant

  • Sow outdoors 1 March – 30 April

Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May

Planting calendar for your area
Where the dates come from

The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.

  • Sow outdoors: March to April (fixed months from a German source, not tied to frost) (DLR Gartenakademie RLP: Aussaat- bzw. Pflanzzeiten von Gemüse)

Good and bad neighbours

Gardeners’ lore, not proven · 3

  • KohlrabiLore: good· D

    Traditional advice, not tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Kohlrabi

  • Butterhead lettuceLore: good· D

    Traditional advice, not tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Butterhead lettuce

  • LeekLore: good· D

    Traditional advice, not tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Leek

Crop rotation

After the daisy family, leave the bed free of it for at least 3 years.

  • The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.
  • Example: grown here in 2026, again from 2030.

At a glance

Family
Daisy family (Asteraceae)
Nutrient needs
Medium feeder
Frost
Hardy, tolerates frost
Spacing (row × plant)
20–30 × 15 cm (8–12 × 6 in)
Plants per m²
33.3
Life cycle
Perennial
Harvest
After 120 days from sowing

Spacing according to Garden Organic: How to grow salsify & scorzonera. Other sources: 25–38 × 5 cm (10–15 × 2 in) (USU Extension: Black Salsify in the Garden).

Questions and answers

When can I sow black salsify?

Sow outdoors, average for Germany: 1 March – 30 April. Enter a German postcode above for your area, or your own frost date in the planting calendar.

How far apart should I plant black salsify?

20–30 × 15 cm (8–12 × 6 in) (row × plant), according to Garden Organic: How to grow salsify & scorzonera.

What grows well next to black salsify?

Kohlrabi: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D), Butterhead lettuce: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D) and Leek: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D).

How long a break do black salsify need in the same bed?

After the daisy family, leave the bed free of it for at least 3 years. The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.

More from the daisy family

Sources

Show 9 sources
  1. Südtiroler Bauernbund: Merkblatt Fruchtfolgen im Gemüsebau (Oktober 2022)
  2. USU Extension: Black Salsify in the Garden
  3. Garden Organic: How to grow salsify & scorzonera
  4. DLR Gartenakademie RLP: Aussaat- bzw. Pflanzzeiten von Gemüse
  5. Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: Fruchtfolge im Garten (Gartenmerkblatt, 2020)
  6. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (über die GBIF-API, species/match)
  7. BUND: Mischkultur – Gute und schlechte Nachbarn (August 2026)
  8. Gartenakademie Rheinland-Pfalz (DLR): Übersicht – Kultur verschiedener Gemüsearten im Hausgarten (o. J.)
  9. Gartenakademie Rheinland-Pfalz (DLR): Anbauplanung im Gemüsegarten (o. J.)

Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.