A hard to find gourmet specialty, Salsola is an interesting shoreline vegetable much valued in Italy and Japan. The plants grow to about 1' ft tall and thrive in salty environments, typically in coastal salt marshes and seashores. Leaves are long and succulent with an appealing crunchy texture and are a rich source of vitamin A as well as K and they provide abundant sources of calcium, potassium, and iron. Add tender young leaves to salads and sushi, steam longer stems for healthy side dishes. Juice is used as a diuretic. The crispy, salty leaves can be harvested at the seedling stage for micro greens or baby leaf stage for adding to salad mixtures. It also can be steamed or blanched briefly in salted water and then quickly cooled in iced water and served with a dressing. This unusual vegetable is easy to grow, interesting, and very healthy. If you care about your bones, your vision, and your intake of minerals, consider this addition to your garden. Plants grow vigorously in warm climates and can be grown in containers too. Cool season annual, 40-55 Days.Traditional Japanese culinary herb. GROWING INFORMATION DAYS TO GERMINATION:7-14 days. SOWING:Direct seed (recommended): Direct seed in spring through midsummer. Sow seeds 1/8- 1/4" deep, 1-2 seeds every inch, in rows that are 12-18" apart. There is no need to thin, as saltwort continues to grow even when sown thickly. Successive sowings ensures a continuous harvest. Transplant: Tamp seeds into the soil mix or just barely cover with soil and moisten. Transplant seedlings outside when they are 3-4" high, spacing seedlings 4-6" apart in rows that are 18" apart. LIGHT PREFERENCE:Sun/Part Shade. SOIL REQUIREMENTS:Saltwort is native to the salt marshes of Japan, but will grow well in less saline soils. PLANT HEIGHT:8-18". PLANT SPACING:4-6". HARDINESS ZONES:Annual. HARVEST:Leaves may be harvested for fresh use once the plants have become established. Harvest promptly to avoid woody stems and prickly leaf tips.