Schwäbin / CC BY-SA 3.0 de
garden
Mache
Overview
Also called corn salad or lamb's lettuce, mâche is a tiny, rosette-forming salad green with a mild, nutty flavor prized in French cuisine. It is one of the most cold-hardy salad greens, thriving in conditions too cold for lettuce and even growing under snow. Its small, tender leaves are the perfect base for elegant winter salads.
Companion Planting & Soil
Good Companions
Soil pH6 — 7
Soil TypeMoist, fertile, well-drained soil; tolerates clay
Planting Calendar
When to sow, transplant, and harvest by growing zone.
| Zone | Action | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold (1-2) | Direct Sow | Apr — May | Direct sow in early spring; one of the hardiest salad greens |
| Cold (1-2) | Direct Sow | Aug — Aug | Late summer sow for fall/winter harvest under row cover |
| Cold (1-2) | Harvest | May — Jun | Harvest whole rosettes; mild nutty flavor |
| Cold (1-2) | Harvest | Oct — Nov | Fall harvest from summer sowing; survives frost |
| Cool (3-4) | Direct Sow | Mar — Apr | Sow in early spring; tiny rosettes mature in 45-60 days |
| Cool (3-4) | Direct Sow | Aug — Sep | Fall sow; overwinters under mulch in many areas |
| Cool (3-4) | Harvest | Apr — Jun | Cut rosettes at soil level; harvest before bolting |
| Cool (3-4) | Harvest | Oct — Dec | Fall/winter harvest |
| Moderate (5-7) | Direct Sow | Sep — Oct | Fall sow for winter/spring harvest; survives to 5°F |
| Moderate (5-7) | Harvest | Nov — Mar (wraps) | Winter through early spring harvest |
| Warm (8-9) | Direct Sow | Oct — Nov | Fall sow for winter salads; bolts in spring warmth |
| Warm (8-9) | Harvest | Dec — Feb (wraps) | Winter harvest |
| Hot (10+) | Direct Sow | Nov — Dec | Winter crop only; very cold-hardy but heat-intolerant |
| Hot (10+) | Harvest | Dec — Feb (wraps) | Cool-season harvest |
Uses
Culinary
- Delicate salad green in French bistro salads
- Wilted briefly as a warm side green
- Combined with beets, walnuts, and goat cheese
Medicinal
- Rich in iron and vitamin C for blood health
- Good source of omega-3 fatty acids (rare for a leafy green)
- Vitamin A for eye and skin health
Other Uses
- Winter and early spring salad crop for cold frames and tunnels
