Corn Salad - Dutch Seeds (Valerianella locusta)
Overview:
- Also known as Mache, Lamb's Lettuce, or Field Lettuce.
- Annual, cool-season salad green with a delicate, nutty flavor.
- Can be used as a lettuce substitute in salads, stews, soups, and as a cooked leaf vegetable.
- Frost-tolerant, making it ideal for cold climates.
Key Features:
- Tender, green leaves.
- Nutty flavor.
- Grows to 30cm in height.
- Suitable for both direct sowing and transplanting.
- Can be harvested as a whole plant or as a "cut and come again" crop.
Growing Conditions:
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Climate: Cool season crop.
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Sunlight: Full sun or part shade (minimum 3 hours of sun).
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Soil: Well-drained, enriched with organic matter.
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Container Growing: Suitable for containers (minimum 20 liters).
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Sowing Depth: 6mm.
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Sowing Spacing: 20cm apart, rows 30-45cm apart.
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Germination Time: 7-21 days at 10-20°C.
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Watering: Water when soil is dry 5cm below the surface, avoid wetting leaves.
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Fertilizing: High-nitrogen fertilizer or leafy green/herb fertilizer.
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Harvest: Approximately 45 days after sowing.
Planting Instructions:
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Sowing Time: Cool season (refer to climate-specific table).
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Direct Sowing: Sow seeds 6mm deep, spaced 20cm apart, rows 30-45cm apart.
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Transplanting: Sow seeds in trays, transplant seedlings with first true leaves, space 20cm apart, rows 30-45cm apart.
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Scatter Sowing: Roughen soil, scatter seeds, cover lightly.
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Temperature: Avoid sowing in very hot weather to prevent bolting.
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Thinning: Thin seedlings to 20cm spacing when large enough to handle.
Harvesting:
- Harvest when leaves are large enough.
- Cut the whole plant at ground level or harvest outer leaves for "cut and come again" growth.
- Store in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Additional Notes:
- Protect young seedlings from pests, pets, and weather.
- Can be grown as an annual.
- Soil preparation with compost and aged manure is highly recommended.
