Corn Salad: Dutch (Valerianella olitoria)
SKU:
$1.00
$1.00 - $5.60
$1.00
per item
Dutch Corn Salad is an annual cool weather vegetable that got its name due to its habit of growing wild in corn fields. It is also known as Lamb’s lettuce and dates back to the Stone Age. It is best known for its ability to thrive in colder weather than other greens and for its savory nutty flavor. Dutch Corn Salad produces 3” leaves are the perfect addition to any salad and can also be used as a garnish.
Scientific Name: Valerianella olitoria
Also Known As: Lamb's Lettuce, Lamb's Lettuce, Nut Lettuce, Field Salad, Rapunzel, Mache, and Doucette.
Native Range: Europe
Ease of Growing: Moderate
Grown as: Annual
Days to Maturity: 50 (Spring/Summer), 90-100 (Fall/Winter)
Hardiness: Hardy. Corn Salad is exceptionally hardy and tolerates frost.
Crops: Spring, Fall
Growing Season: Long. Corn Salad needs a good supply of moisture and regular weeding. It does best in cooler climates.
Growing Conditions: Cold, Cool
Outdoor Growing Temp: 40°F - 65°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 45°F. Corn Salad actually prefers cool weather, but germination can be slow (be patient).
Start Indoors: No
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Full Sun, min. 6 hours daily (Cool). In cool weather the plants will need full sun for most rapid growth.
Water: High. These fast-growing plants must have all of the water they need for rapid growth. It is important that the soil is kept moist at all times.
Feeder: Light. These greens grow quickly and for best growth and flavor they should have all of the nutrients readily available, which means the soil needs to be fairly fertile. Their main requirement is for nitrogen, but they also need moderate amounts of potassium and phosphorus.
Suitability: Tolerates light frost
Small Gardens?: Yes
Containers?: Yes. Corn Sald is very well suited for container growing. Choose a container that has a minimum depth of 4". Make sure that your container has at least one drainage hole. Fill with a mixture of potting soil and compost and water thoroughly. Place in full sun. Make sure to keep the soil consistently moist.
Attracts beneficial insects?: No
Maintenance: Low
Plant Height: 16"
Spacing: 1" apart, in rows 8-10" apart.
Sow Depth: 1/2"
Hardiness Zone: 3-12
Suggested Use: Use fresh in salads.
Also Known As: Lamb's Lettuce, Lamb's Lettuce, Nut Lettuce, Field Salad, Rapunzel, Mache, and Doucette.
Native Range: Europe
Ease of Growing: Moderate
Grown as: Annual
Days to Maturity: 50 (Spring/Summer), 90-100 (Fall/Winter)
Hardiness: Hardy. Corn Salad is exceptionally hardy and tolerates frost.
Crops: Spring, Fall
Growing Season: Long. Corn Salad needs a good supply of moisture and regular weeding. It does best in cooler climates.
Growing Conditions: Cold, Cool
Outdoor Growing Temp: 40°F - 65°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 45°F. Corn Salad actually prefers cool weather, but germination can be slow (be patient).
Start Indoors: No
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Full Sun, min. 6 hours daily (Cool). In cool weather the plants will need full sun for most rapid growth.
Water: High. These fast-growing plants must have all of the water they need for rapid growth. It is important that the soil is kept moist at all times.
Feeder: Light. These greens grow quickly and for best growth and flavor they should have all of the nutrients readily available, which means the soil needs to be fairly fertile. Their main requirement is for nitrogen, but they also need moderate amounts of potassium and phosphorus.
Suitability: Tolerates light frost
Small Gardens?: Yes
Containers?: Yes. Corn Sald is very well suited for container growing. Choose a container that has a minimum depth of 4". Make sure that your container has at least one drainage hole. Fill with a mixture of potting soil and compost and water thoroughly. Place in full sun. Make sure to keep the soil consistently moist.
Attracts beneficial insects?: No
Maintenance: Low
Plant Height: 16"
Spacing: 1" apart, in rows 8-10" apart.
Sow Depth: 1/2"
Hardiness Zone: 3-12
Suggested Use: Use fresh in salads.
Soil Preference:
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0, Ideal 6.3-6.5. The soil is called upon to produce a lot of foliage in a short time, so it should be fertile, moisture retentive and well drained.
Soil Preparation:
Additional fertilizer in the form of standard mix should be incorporated along with the compost, to supply additional nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients.
Prepare the soil by adding 2˝ of compost or aged manure. This does not need to be dug in very deeply, as most types have quite shallow-roots (most of the roots will be concentrated in the top 4˝ to 8˝ of soil).
For very early crops you might want to prepare the soil the previous fall.
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0, Ideal 6.3-6.5. The soil is called upon to produce a lot of foliage in a short time, so it should be fertile, moisture retentive and well drained.
Soil Preparation:
Additional fertilizer in the form of standard mix should be incorporated along with the compost, to supply additional nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients.
Prepare the soil by adding 2˝ of compost or aged manure. This does not need to be dug in very deeply, as most types have quite shallow-roots (most of the roots will be concentrated in the top 4˝ to 8˝ of soil).
For very early crops you might want to prepare the soil the previous fall.
When Cold, Cool: Corn Salad needs a good supply of moisture and regular weeding. It does best in cooler climates.
When outdoor temp: 40°F to 65°F, optimal temp 50°F to 60°F
When min soil temp: 45°F. Corn salad actually prefers cool weather, but germination can be slow (be patient).
Seed Depth: 1/4"-1/2". Plant the seed 1/4 to 1/2" deep.
Spacing: 2-3", 16 plants per sq ft.
Spring Crop:
4-6 weeks before last frost date. In cool climates Corn salad is often grown as a spring crop (it is the first crop to go in the ground in spring). However it tends to bolt as soon as the weather gets warm.
Fall Crop:
10-12 weeks before first frost date. Corn salad prefers to grow in cool weather and really does best when planted in early fall, to grow through the winter. In the coldest climates it can be grown in a cold frame or under row covers. However you have to be careful it doesn't get too warm or this may cause it to bolt.
Corn salad is sometimes sown in fall for a spring crop.
Support: No
When outdoor temp: 40°F to 65°F, optimal temp 50°F to 60°F
When min soil temp: 45°F. Corn salad actually prefers cool weather, but germination can be slow (be patient).
Seed Depth: 1/4"-1/2". Plant the seed 1/4 to 1/2" deep.
Spacing: 2-3", 16 plants per sq ft.
Spring Crop:
4-6 weeks before last frost date. In cool climates Corn salad is often grown as a spring crop (it is the first crop to go in the ground in spring). However it tends to bolt as soon as the weather gets warm.
Fall Crop:
10-12 weeks before first frost date. Corn salad prefers to grow in cool weather and really does best when planted in early fall, to grow through the winter. In the coldest climates it can be grown in a cold frame or under row covers. However you have to be careful it doesn't get too warm or this may cause it to bolt.
Corn salad is sometimes sown in fall for a spring crop.
Support: No
Specialty greens need to grow quickly for best quality. This can only be done by giving the plants everything they need.
Water Needs: High. These fast-growing plants must have all of the water they need for rapid growth. It is important that the soil is kept moist at all times.
Fertilizer Needs: Light. These greens grow quickly and for best growth and flavor they should have all of the nutrients readily available, which means the soil needs to be fairly fertile. Their main requirement is for nitrogen, but they also need moderate amounts of potassium and phosphorus.
Watering, regularly: Keep the soil evenly moist at all times. These greens are delicate and do not like to dry out. Good watering practices can help offset the negative effects of summer heat, so it is important to keep the soil constantly moist. In hot weather this may mean watering every day.
Watering also depends on your local weather; don't water if it's raining, or water more frequently if it's dry. Just be sure to keep soil moist for the best crop. The best way to know how much moisture is in your soil is to feel 2" below the soil line. If it's dry, water.
Side Dressing, regularly: If your soil is not as rich as it could be, or if the soil is cool, give the plants a feed of compost tea or liquid kelp every 3 weeks or so.
Thinning, when 4" tall: You can plant these greens closer together than the variety requirements and then thin them out as they grow (eat the thinnings).
Support: No
Water Needs: High. These fast-growing plants must have all of the water they need for rapid growth. It is important that the soil is kept moist at all times.
Fertilizer Needs: Light. These greens grow quickly and for best growth and flavor they should have all of the nutrients readily available, which means the soil needs to be fairly fertile. Their main requirement is for nitrogen, but they also need moderate amounts of potassium and phosphorus.
Watering, regularly: Keep the soil evenly moist at all times. These greens are delicate and do not like to dry out. Good watering practices can help offset the negative effects of summer heat, so it is important to keep the soil constantly moist. In hot weather this may mean watering every day.
Watering also depends on your local weather; don't water if it's raining, or water more frequently if it's dry. Just be sure to keep soil moist for the best crop. The best way to know how much moisture is in your soil is to feel 2" below the soil line. If it's dry, water.
Side Dressing, regularly: If your soil is not as rich as it could be, or if the soil is cool, give the plants a feed of compost tea or liquid kelp every 3 weeks or so.
Thinning, when 4" tall: You can plant these greens closer together than the variety requirements and then thin them out as they grow (eat the thinnings).
Support: No
Harvesting
Ripening:
Mature plants form a rosette of leaves that measures 3 to 5 inches across.
Mature plants form a rosette of leaves that measures 3 to 5 inches across.
Storage
Specialty greens are so tender and delicate they do not keep very well. You can keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days. Don't wash them until you are going to use them.
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-5 days
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-5 days
Most of these are fairly easy to save seed from, you just have to leave them in the ground long enough to flower and produce seed.
Seed Viability in Years: 2 - 5 Years
Germination Percentage: 80%
Seed Viability in Years: 2 - 5 Years
Germination Percentage: 80%
Taste:
Sweet, mild and slightly nutty.
Culinary Use:
A nutty flavored, tender, delicate green leaf makes a wonderful addition to a salad or it can be the main ingredient in a salad.
Edible parts of Corn Salad:
Young leaves: raw. A very mild flavor, with a delicate quality that makes them seem to melt in the mouth, they can be added in quantity to salads. The leaves can be available all year round from successional sowings and will only require protection in the colder winters.
Flowers and flowering stems: raw.
Sweet, mild and slightly nutty.
Culinary Use:
A nutty flavored, tender, delicate green leaf makes a wonderful addition to a salad or it can be the main ingredient in a salad.
Edible parts of Corn Salad:
Young leaves: raw. A very mild flavor, with a delicate quality that makes them seem to melt in the mouth, they can be added in quantity to salads. The leaves can be available all year round from successional sowings and will only require protection in the colder winters.
Flowers and flowering stems: raw.
Companion Planting
Companions: Carrot, Turnip, Leek, Cabbage and Viola.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
The greens tend to be rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B, C and E, as well as various phyto-nutrients.
Suggested Varieties
Cabbage: Early Jersey Wakefield (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
$1.00 - $5.60
The first Early Jersey Wakefield cabbages were raised in 1840 by a man named Francis Brill of Jersey City, New Jersey. Thirty years later, seed companies all over the region offered this seed for sale; growers appreciated its early harvest and small, tender heads.
Cabbage: Late Flat Dutch (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
$1.00 - $5.60
Late Flat Dutch cabbage can be traced back to 1840, when the earliest mention of this variety is found in the seed records of the Netherlands. German immigrants carried the seed with them to America, where it spread; by 1924, it could be found in local seed catalogs such as D. M. Ferry & Company.
Cabbage: Red Acre (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
$1.00 - $5.60
Cabbage is considered one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, since historians trace it back to 4,000 BC in China. The Romans also cultivated it and praised it for its healing qualities; philosophers Pythagoras and Cato both made the lowly cabbage the subject of a book. Jacques Cartier brought the first cabbage to America in 1536. Cabbages were quite popular in colonial America, being pickled and preserved in every possible way to provide food for the winter.
Cabbage, Chinese: Pak Choi (Heirloom) (Brassica rapa var. chinensis)
$1.00 - $5.60
Chinese cabbage dates back to the 15th century in China, when a pharmacologist of the Ming Dynasty considered it nutritionally beneficial. Later it became the main ingredient in kim chi, the national dish of Korea; Japanese soldiers also discovered Chinese cabbage and took it home with them after the war. Americans became familiar with this vegetable in the late 19th century.
Carrots: Chantenay Red Cored (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
Introduced from France in the late 1800s. Blocky, broad-shouldered variety with blunt tip, about 5-1/2" long and 2-1/2" at the shoulder. Deep orange interior. Adaptable to clay and a wide range of soils. A versatile, good winter keeper that is quite tasty, raw or cooked. Stores well in the ground. Becomes sweeter in storage.
Carrots: Cosmic Purple (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
The first mention of red, white, and purple carrots can be found in the records of both Afghanistan and Egypt. Yellow carrots, on the other hand, date back to Turkish records from the 900's. Carrots fulfilled medicinal purposes for thousands of years, being used for maladies as diverse as indigestion and cancer. After World War I, carrots became extremely popular in the United States, and are now produced commercially mostly in Texas, Michigan, and California.
Carrots: Danvers (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
The origin of carrots is somewhat obscure, but early records from many civilizations refer to this colorful root. Carrots fulfilled medicinal purposes for thousands of years, being used for maladies as diverse as indigestion and cancer. After World War I, carrots became extremely popular in the United States, and are now produced commercially mostly in Texas, Michigan, and California. Danvers carrots in particular come from Danvers, Massachusetts, where the Eastern States Farmers Exchange introduced them in 1947.
Carrots: Lunar White (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
Lunar White Carrots are an annual vegetable that were introduced into the United States from Europe. This pigment free variety was grown in Europe in the 16th century and was used to feed cattle as well as people. Lunar White Carrots grow to the size of 6-12” long and are nearly coreless. They have a crisp texture and a mild and delicious taste. Matures in 60-65 days.
Carrots: Rainbow Blend (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
Festive Color and Flavor Mix of Purple, Yellow, Red and White Carrots is sure to delight—each with their own unique qualities. Purple has smooth skin, coreless orange flesh and is sweet and tasty. Solar Yellow holds its sunny hue inside and out, is crunchy, sweet and juicy. Lunar White is mild and delicious, and Atomic Red has high lycopene levels as well as a crispy texture that is great cooked.
Carrots: Scarlet Nantes (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
The origin of carrots is somewhat obscure, but early records from many civilizations refer to this colorful root. Carrots fulfilled medicinal purposes for thousands of years, being used for maladies as diverse as indigestion and cancer. The 19th century seed specialist Louis de Vilmorin introduced the French varieties of carrot such as Nantes and Chantenay, which both derive their names from their places of origin. After World War I, carrots became extremely popular in the United States, and are now produced commercially mostly in Texas, Michigan, and California.
Carrots: Tendersweet (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
$1.00 - $5.60
The origin of carrots is somewhat obscure, but early records from many civilizations refer to this colorful root. Carrots fulfilled medicinal purposes for thousands of years, being used for maladies as diverse as indigestion and cancer. The Dutch were the among the first to cultivate the orange carrot; legend has it that their intent was to honor William of Orange. After World War I, carrots became extremely popular in the United States, and are now produced commercially mostly in Texas, Michigan, and California.
Leeks: Giant Musselburg (Heirloom) (Allium porrum)
$1.00 - $5.60
Leeks most likely originated in the Mediterranean region, where they have been cultivated for over 3,000 years. Jewish tradition has included this member of the onion family since their nation's historic sojourn in Egypt. Greek and Roman cultures also record medicinal uses for the leek, and Nero himself ate vast quantities of it with the belief that it would benefit his voice quality. Leeks were later brought to the British Isles by Phonecian traders, where they came to be the national symbol of Wales. This vegetable is not as well known as its close relative, the onion, but chefs and gardeners alike appreciate the leek for its sweeter, more subtle flavor.