Corn Salad

    Valerianella locusta
Corn salad (spring lettuce in Denmark) is an improved leaf plant of the Valerian-family, Valerianaceae, and it has been in use for a very long time in Europe and USA. It creates a low rosette of glossy, green leaves and can be harvested the year around in mild climates. Here it is cultivated outdoors during the season and in greenhouses in winter. Corn Salad is very hardy, rich in vitamin C and easy to grow. It tolerates several periods of frost in late autumn and early spring. It has a outstanding aroma.

SOWING: Sow about 1 cm deep early under glass and then outdoors well into late summer for a long lasting autumn harvest and wintering! Keep the soil moist during germination, lasting for 10-14 days. In the greater part of this country Corn Salad can also be sown in cool green houses in autumn for an early spring harvest. Corn Salad seeds are usually scattered if sown under glass, about 3 g/m2.  

SPACING: 10-15 cm between plants, 20-30 cm between rows.

HARVEST: Cut off the whole rosette at the ground as soon as it has grown large enough to eat and continue to do so well into late autumn.  The leaves should, preferably, be used fresh as lettuce but also cooked as spinach and chard (leaf beet).

SEEDS: 1g contains 600-700 seeds.  One portion of 1.5 g sows a stretch of 4-5 m, about 20 g for 100 m.