I've been working with skirrett for a couple of years and would like to hear of any others with experience with it. My plants are growing well and propagating, but volumes remain small.
Let's talk...skirrett
I'm not familiar with that one. Do you have any pictures or links?
Hi,
I just looked this one up. It's called Sium Sisarum
Here's a nice link:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Sium+sisarum
Interesting! Thank-you for turning us on to something new!!
GGG
Try searching "SKERRIT" -- Member of the carrot & parsley family -- looks interesting:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV134 . Didn't find it in the plant database but is showed up in a web search.
Any source for seeds? Sounds great!
Thanks for the comments and feedback. I think one source of seed was Fedco. I tried a couple of years to get seed to germinate, but did not have success until I placed it between moist paper towels in plastic.
Plants for me double in number every spring in that it seems a single plant will transform into two separate plants at some point in the annual growth cycle. I've tested this by putting a single plant in a pot, then separating the two resulting plants the following year. So far, root sizes have never been large enough to consume, but I am trying new approaches every year. I may have seed this year for trade later, as all of my plants are blooming.
Hmmm - I wonder if that should read "carrot and parsnip" family? Regardless, I hate you for this! It sounds very interesting and I really want to check it out now. Like I don't have enough addictions! For shame krowten!!!
Now that I've fussed at you, can I ask a favor??? How about posting some photos here? I'd love to see what they look like!
Sequee, I'll see what I can do regarding pictures, but will probably need to weed first! BTW, the thing that first drew me to skirrett was a love of parsnips, but parsnips are a lot easier to get a crop from.
I dig some digging and came up with more info and a couple of pictures. There’s a photo of its roots (maybe yours aren't so small) at the top of the Edible Forest Garden website with a description at the bottom of the page. http://www.edibleforestgardens.com
“Above photo of skirret (Sium sisarum) roots by Eric Toensmeier. Skirret roots are edible and tasty, and the flowers provide nectar to specialist and generalist insect predators. This is one of many forest garden species ripe for development into a high-value crop.”
Fedco Seeds still has them listed, but they’re out of stock. Good Garden Watchdog reviews. http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/SeedsOrderItem.php?id=2327&listname=Skirret
Amishland Seeds has seeds in stock, but her quantities are a bit skimpy and she has mixed reviews. I’ve had good luck with her myself. http://www.amishlandseeds.com/rare_seeds.htm
Her picture of a blooming plant.
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/images/skirret.jpg
Hi everybody,
I just wanted to add to this thread that I had my first taste of skirret yesterday. Delicious and reminiscent of parsnip in flavor. I finally had a plant that produced some 1/2" roots. It's been a learning curve for me on this one.
I've divided the plants again this year and have more than I need, so can offer some for trade after the divisions have established better (in a month or so). It's an easy plant to grow but a a challenge for me to get the roots to size up. Plants are a much easier way to start than seed. It likes wetter conditions and full sun. Half of my summer, the garden gets somewhat dry, which doesn't help. Winter hardy zone 5. If interested, send me a d-mail and we can talk trade and culture.
krowten