Corn Salad (Mache) Lamb’s Lettuce – Dutch Broad Leaved

Corn salad or mâche (Valerianella locusta) also known as lamb’s lettuce, is a small, leafy green vegetable that is native to Europe. It is a hardy, cool-season crop that is often planted in the fall and grown through the winter.

Corn salad has delicate, tender leaves that are a bright green color and have a slightly nutty and sweet flavor. It is a small plant, usually growing to about 6 inches tall, with a rosette of leaves. It is typically used in salads or as a garnish, but it can also be used in sandwiches, soups, and omelets.

To grow corn salad, you will need to start by preparing your soil. It prefers well-drained, rich soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. The seeds should be planted in a sunny location, in rows about 1/4 inch deep, about 1-2 inches apart. Water the seeds regularly, keeping the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged.

Corn salad is a fast-growing crop and it typically takes about 30-35 days to mature. It is ready for harvest when the leaves are fully grown, usually around 30-35 days after planting. It is important to harvest the leaves regularly to keep the plants from going to seed, which will make them bitter.

You can harvest the leaves by cutting them off close to the base of the plant, leaving about an inch of stem. Corn salad can be grown as a fall or winter crop, or as a spring or summer crop planted in a shaded area.