Mache (Valerianella locusta)

Grows best in cool weather so sow in spring or fall, as hot weather will cause poor germination. Direct seed with 1" spacing in rows 4-12" apart. To harvest cut entire plant at soil line. Plant in succession for continual harvest. Excellent as an overwintered salad green.

Nutrients: vitamins A, B and C,  iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.

How to Grow Arugula from Seed

Bed Preparation

Planted from early spring to early summer and again from late summer through fall. Mache is a very cold tolerant, quick to bolt in warm weather, and if allowed to flower, will readily self-seed. Succession plantings every 2-3 weeks are recommended for a continual harvest. Harvest above growth point for cut-and-come-again production.

Planting

Plant Seeds: 1/4" deep with 1-2" between seeds. Soil Temp: 50-70 F. Days to Sprout: 7-14. Thin To/Mature Plant Spacing: don't thin for baby greens, 4-6" mature greens.

Harvest

Days to Harvest: baby leaves in 30, mature greens in 70. Seed Viability: 4-5 yrs.

How to Save Mache Seeds

Collect the seed heads as they dry on the plants and store in closed paper bags to finish drying (many of the seeds will shed naturally). Don't let the seed heads get wet after they dry. Chaff easily blows away after seed heads are crumbled—watch for thorns or prickles in some plants!