Skirret – Sium sisarum dormant potted plant – pre order for delivery by end of April
£6.99
SUPPLIED AS A DORMANT PLANT IN A 1L POT
Skirret – Sium sisarum, a hardy perennial root vegetable popular in Tudor and Stuart periods. Cluster of sweet crunchy roots can be left in the ground to mature then harvested for eating and some for re-planting. Skirret is a herbaceous perennial and is dormant over the winter months, your plant will be dormant on arrival, it can be planted out now and you will see new growth in the spring. This item will be shipped between the 19th March and 30th April 25, we will notify you when your order is on the way.
Awaiting Re-stock
We can email you when it's back ...
Description
Skirret – Sium sisarum is a hardy herbaceous perennial root vegetable that produces a cluster of sweet tasting roots, easy to grow. Plants can be divided to propagate new stock. Also very beneficial for insects, producing umbels of white flowers in summer. Roots are generally harvested when plants are dormant in winter.
About
Skirret – Sium sisarum is a hardy herbaceous perennial root vegetable part of the family Apiaceae, that produces a cluster of sweet tasting slender roots. Skirrets date back centuries, pre-dating the potato, and were one of the main root crops eaten across Europe before potatoes were introduced. They fell out of favour because potatoes were easier to prepare, not because of the taste. Their flavour is somewhere between a parsnip and a carrot with a hint of pepper. In the Tudor and Stuart periods they were used in sweet & savory dishes.
Growing and propagating
Skirret plants – when they arrive you can plant out right away. Plant in a sunny position leaving about 30cm between plants. Over the summer the plants will reach about 1m-1.5m tall producing umbels of white flowers and in the autumn the foliage will die right back. For a decent yield it is best to wait until the autumn of their second year before harvesting. Main harvesting period is between November and March while plants are dormant.
Cooking and eating
No need to peel, just give them a good scrub with a vegetable brush. Use Skirrets raw as a tasty snack, or parboil and deep fry, or roast in the oven with olive oil. Sauteed in a pan with butter and parsley is another delicious way of serving them. They also make a lovely soup. Early shoots can be forced by covering with a bucket and eaten as a sweet spring green vegetable.
