How to Grow Corn Salad

Corn Salad Germination Information

How to Sow Corn Salad:

• Best sown outdoors in situ when the soil is cool, as they will not germinate in warm soils
• Seeds should be sown 2-4 weeks before last frost in the spring or at the time of the first frost of autumn
• Seeds can also be sown indoors at 68-70°
• Indoors and out, sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds and expect germination in 10-20 days
• In Zones 8 and warmer, sow in the fall for a fall-winter harvest; in cooler areas sow in the spring for a spring-summer harvest
• Harvest in 30 days from sowing

How to Grow Corn Salad:
Transplanting: Transplant when there are at least two sets of true leaves

Spacing: Space 1 foot apart

Lighting: Site in full sun to partial shade

Soil: Site in a moist, well-drained soil

Additional Care: It is very frost and freezing tolerant into Zone 5. It is a cool-season annual that will quickly go to seed when temperatures reach 80°. As the plants can become weedy, deadhead the flowering stems to prevent plants from self-sowing

Appearance and Use:

These plants form 1 foot wide, basal rosettes of 6 inch long, green, round to spoon-shaped, smooth-textured, almost succulent leaves. Flowering stems produce clusters of tiny, blue flowers. The tender leaves are the edible portion with a sweet, nutty flavor. Harvest using the “cut and come again” protocol when the leaves are of a desired size. Make a final harvesting when the flowers develop as the plants will quickly go to seed. Use them in salads, omelets, and as a general spinach substitute

About Corn Salad:
Botanical name: Valerianella locusta
Pronunciation:  vå-le-ri-å-nel’å lo-kus’tå
Lifecycle:  Annual
Origination: Valerianaceae; native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia