DESCRIPTION: These hardy plants are grown in gardens and are used in making salads. They are known as Corn Salad, Lamb's Lettuce, Mache and Feldsalat. This plant grows wild in Europe and is used as a forage crop for sheep and is a pest in wheat and corn fields. However, it is desired by skilled chefs, who love these early spring greens. Corn Salad is a plain, weedy looking vegetable. It forms small rosettes of smooth, spoon-shaped leaves.
POTTING: This plant is pretty hardy and in most climates will survive the winter, withstanding temperatures as low as 5º F. Straw mulch may be needed where very cold weather occurs without snow cover. They should be grown in full sun. Feed and water once in a while to maintain good foliage color. Start pulling Corn Salad when the leaves are large enough to eat. Once flowerheads shoot up, harvest all the plants. Those left to flower will deteriorate quickly. Store Corn Salad in a plastic bag in the refrigerator but don't wash until just before use. It should stay good for 2 to 3 weeks. Before eating, make sure to separate the wadded-up leaves and rinse thoroughly to remove sand.
PROPAGATION: Seeds are sown thickly from late summer through autumn and again in early spring. Cover with ¼-inch of sand.
VARIETIES: V. locusta. The French variety A. Grosse Graine is available, as is the early Cavallo. Broad Leaved is a standard variety.