How to grow agretti (Salsola soda)

If there’s a plant that’s destined to explode onto the Grow Your Own scene this year, then it has to be agretti (Salsola soda). Agretti got good press last year as being a vegetable sought-after by chefs; it didn’t hurt that seed was in short supply! Suppliers have taken note, however, and there are plenty more sources this year.

First up, this is an annual plant, native to the Mediterranean basin. Saltworts are halophytes, salt-loving plants. Salsola soda has many common names, including: Roscano, Erva de Santa Maria, Friar’s beard or Monk’s beard (Barba di Frate in Italian), Liscaria sativa and the mouth-watering ‘Opposite leaved saltwort’ or ‘Oppostive leaved Russian thistle’.

The first thing to note about Italian agretti (and the similar Japanese Okahijiki, Salsola komarovii) is that seed longevity is less than a year. Germination can be problematic anyway, but if you’ve got old seed then it’s just not going to grow. It takes a longer growing season than we can give it to set seed, so it’s unlikely you’ll have the chance to try saving your own seed.

I acquired some agretti seeds (from a friend, IIRC) in 2012 – that’s them in the photo above. But 2012 being what it was, they were never going to get to grow in my garden. It’s a plant I want to try, so this year I ordered a fresh box of seed from Seeds of Italy, and we’re good to grow. So how do you grow agretti?

Clearly, having never grown it – I am not an expert on this plant! So I have started collecting information on how to grow agretti, and I can update this post later. Feel free to share advice/ links in the comments for everyone to have a look at.

How to sow agretti According to the seed packet, you can sow agretti in any month except December and January, and expect