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Growing Corn Salad, also Lamb's lettuce or Mache

(Valerianella locusta)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
      P P              

(Best months for planting Corn Salad in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)


  • Easy to grow.
  • Harvest in 40-60 days
  • Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
  • Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 20°C.
  • Space plants: 10-15cm

Like lettuce in appearance and use, Lamb's lettuce is hardier and can stand light frosts.

Not suitable for growing in warm areas.

Grow quickly with a well enriched soil and keep watered - adding nitrogen every two weeks.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Corn Salad

Pick individual leaves or harvest the whole plant as required

Your comments and tips

15 Oct 11 Grace (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
I planted these in rows because I didn't know what the seedlings looked like in a weedy garden. Germination rate was about 1/5. Apparently corn salad is known for poor germination. So I tried broadcast sowing a whole packet of seeds and raking in with much better results. I've heard that if you let them seed they will develop a permanent patch. Looking forward to a salad with oranges, carrot, honey and this green soon.

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See planting calendar for these climate zones

New Zealand - cool/mountain,   New Zealand - sub-tropical,   New Zealand - temperate  

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