How to grow mâche (corn salad)
Family Valerianaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 3a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun to part shade. Ready in 45-60 days.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
4-6 in
Days to harvest
45-60 days
Hardiness
Zone 3a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant mâche (corn salad)
- Direct sow: ~-6 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for mâche (corn salad)
Plant with: Lettuce, Spinach.
Common pests & problems
Rarely bothered; one of the hardiest salad greens.
Grower's tip
Cold-hardy to near 0F under mulch or a cold frame: sow in fall for a harvest that lasts through winter.
When to plant mâche (corn salad) in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for mâche (corn salad)
Soil & pH
6.0-7.0: near neutral
Loose, well-drained loam with 3-5% organic matter.
Compost 2 in worked into the top 6 in of soil each spring.
Watering
1 in / week
Deep drip at the base twice a week beats a daily shallow sprinkle.
Consistent moisture prevents most crop problems.
Knowing when to harvest
- Harvest whole rosettes once they reach 2-3 in across, with small spoon-shaped leaves in a tight cluster.
- One of the hardiest salad greens available, often harvestable through winter under minimal cover.
- Cut at the base with scissors just above the roots to keep the rosette intact for washing and serving whole.
Storing & keeping
Refrigerate unwashed rosettes in a perforated bag at 32-40°F for up to 2 weeks, notably longer than most tender salad greens due to its cold-hardy, dense structure.
What to expect
Per plant: A small handful per rosette
Per sq ft: 0.25-0.5 lb per sq ft
Troubleshooting mâche (corn salad)
Slow, spotty germination
Likely cause: Mache germinates poorly in warm soil
What to do: Sow in late summer or fall when soil temperatures are cooling, ideally below 68°F.
Rosettes stay tiny and slow to grow
Likely cause: Naturally slow growth habit, especially in short winter days
What to do: Be patient; mache takes 40-60 days and grows slowest in the darkest weeks of winter, picking up again as days lengthen.
Varieties worth growing
Vit
Standard European mache variety, reliable cold tolerance and good rosette size.
Verte de Cambrai
Traditional French heirloom prized for flavor, widely used in market growing.
Growing mâche (corn salad) in containers
6 in shallow pot; performs well in unheated cold frames or containers through winter given some frost protection.
Nutrition
A meaningful source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber when eaten fresh.
Common questions
Why is mache also called corn salad?
It was historically found growing wild as a weed in European grain (corn, in the British sense of grain) fields before being cultivated as a salad crop.
Can I grow mache without any winter protection?
In zone 6 and colder it benefits from row cover or a cold frame for reliable winter harvest, though it survives hard frosts unprotected in milder zones.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.