Skirret in Zone 5a & 5b

Sium sisarum

When to plant skirret in zone 5b

Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Skirret tolerates either.

Spacing: about 2 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1.5-2.5 ft.

Skirret is a minor European root crop, related to carrot and parsnip, that's been repeatedly lost and rediscovered over the centuries. It's rarely grown today, though not for lack of flavor: cooked roots taste sweet and soft, something like a cross between carrot and potato.

How skirret fits zone 5's season

Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Skirret takes about 1 growing season to reach first worthwhile harvest, so what matters here is how many of these seasons it gets, not whether one is long enough.

Skirret is hardy in zones 5-9, so in zone 5b it stays in the ground through winter and comes back rather than being replanted. Allow about 1 ft of spread at maturity.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Skirret.

Where to buy skirret seeds

• Botanical Interests
• True Leaf Market
• Burpee
• High Mowing Organic Seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing skirret" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 5b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Skirret in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.

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