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Small rosettes of mâche (lamb's lettuce) leaves

Oregon · Washington · Idaho

When to plant mâche

Plant in the garden: Portland and Seattle Mar 1 – Apr 5; Spokane Apr 1 – May 6; Boise Mar 20 – Apr 24; Bend Apr 28 – Jun 2.

Mâche is a low salad green related to valerian, not lettuce, eaten raw as whole rosettes, often with just a simple vinaigrette. European farmers once gathered it as a wild plant in grain fields, which is where the name corn salad comes from.

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Puts mâche on your free plan, with dates for your town and a spot in your beds.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
Thin to 3 to 4 inches apart
Planting depth
¼ to ½ inch deep
Frost
Very hardy; picks through most winters
First harvest
About 50 days after planting

Also called corn salad or lamb's lettuce: small rosettes of mild, nutty leaves. It's one of the hardiest salad greens, so the main sowing goes in late summer for picking through winter.

Mâche planting dates

TownsPlant in the gardenPlant again for fall
Portland, OR, Seattle and Tacoma, WAMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 13 – Sep 17
Spokane, WAApr 1 – May 6Aug 10 – Sep 14
Boise and Meridian, IDMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 13 – Sep 17
Bend and Redmond, ORApr 28 – Jun 2Jul 13 – Aug 17
Astoria, ORMar 25 – Apr 29Aug 13 – Sep 17

Dates for six main cities. For any of the other 80 towns, type it in the box at the top of the page or browse all towns.

Mâche year at a glance

TaskJFMAMJJASOND
PlantMarAprAugSep
HarvestJanFebMarOctNovDec

Around Portland. Colder towns, especially east of the Cascades, run a few weeks later; the table above has your town's planting dates.

How to grow mâche

  1. Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
  2. Plant seeds on your city's dates, ¼ to ½ inch deep, Thin to 3 to 4 inches apart.
  3. Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
  4. Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
  5. Harvest: Cut whole rosettes at the soil line once they have 8 to 10 leaves, or pick the larger ones and leave the rest to grow. Rinse well, since grit hides in the rosettes.

Growing mâche in your part of the Northwest

The same plant behaves differently on the wet west side, the foggy coast and the dry, colder east side.

West-side valleys

Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, southern Oregon

Mâche is a true winter salad here. Sow it in September and pick it from late fall through early spring.

Coast

Oregon and Washington coast

Mild winters let mâche grow slowly through the coldest months.

East of the Cascades

Columbia Basin, Yakima, Boise, Spokane, north Idaho

Sow in late summer and cover plants in winter; mâche is very cold hardy but won't grow in summer heat.

High desert and mountain towns

Central Oregon, high eastern Oregon valleys, McCall, Salmon

Sow in late summer under row cover, or in early spring as soon as the soil thaws.

More mâche varieties

More widely sold picks that do well somewhere in the Northwest. The tag says which part of the Northwest suits each one best.

Vit

Small-leaved mâche · About 50 days

Glossy, dark green rosettes and good resistance to mildew. A reliable choice for fall and winter harvests.

Both sides

Verte de Cambrai

Small-leaved, traditional French · About 50 days

A classic French variety with small, round leaves and a nutty flavor. Very cold-hardy for winter picking.

Both sides

Large Seeded Dutch

Large-leaved mâche · About 45 days

Bigger, lighter green leaves that size up faster than small-leaved types. Good for early spring sowings.

Both sides

How much to grow

How many to plant

For a family of four, a 4- to 6-foot row, or a small bed broadcast with seed in late summer.

What to expect

Each rosette is small, about a salad serving per 8 to 10 plants.

Storing the harvest

Keeps four or five days in the fridge. Pick it the day you eat it when you can.

What to plant after mâche

Around Portland, the mâche harvest wraps up around March. These crops can still go into the same bed, and they come from a different plant family, which helps with rotation.

Portland dates. Pick your town at the top of the page for yours.

Key numbers

Top care tip: Keep the seedbed moist and shaded until it sprouts, then mostly leave it alone through fall and winter.

Growing notes

What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.

A green for the dark months

Mâche, also called corn salad or lamb's lettuce, makes small rosettes of mild, nutty leaves. It's one of the most cold-hardy salad greens there is, which is why Northwest gardeners treat it as a winter crop rather than a spring one.

The main sowing goes in from mid-August into September. Plants grow slowly through fall and can be picked through most west-side winters. Spring sowings work too, but they bolt as soon as days lengthen.

Getting it to sprout

The seed germinates best in cool soil and poorly in summer heat, so late-summer sowings can be slow and patchy. Keep the seedbed moist and lightly shaded until seedlings appear, which can take one to two weeks.

It isn't fussy about soil. Plants are small, so sow in a band and thin to 3 or 4 inches apart. An empty bed after summer crops, a cold frame or a spot between garlic rows all work.

Harvest and care

Cut whole rosettes at the soil line, or pick the biggest plants and let the others keep growing. Rinse carefully, since soil splashes into the rosettes in winter rain.

Slugs are the main pest. A cold frame or row cover speeds growth in winter and keeps leaves cleaner. In spring, let a few plants flower and drop seed, and mâche often comes back on its own in fall.

Good neighbors and crop rotation

Good neighbors

  • Garlic. Fills the bare winter soil between rows.
  • Kale and leeks. Other winter crops that share a bed through the cold months.

Valerian group of the honeysuckle family: Mâche has no close relatives among common vegetables, so it fits anywhere in a rotation. It's a handy winter crop for beds cleared of summer vegetables.

Pests and problems

What most often goes wrong with mâche in Northwest gardens, how to spot it and what to do.

Slugs

Signs: Holes in rosettes in winter.

What to do: Slug bait on mild, wet nights.

Poor sprouting

Signs: Patchy rows in warm soil.

What to do: Sow once late-summer soil cools, and keep the seedbed moist.

Common questions about growing mâche

When should I plant mâche in Oregon, Washington and Idaho?

Plant in the garden: Mar 1 – Apr 5 in Portland and Seattle, Apr 1 – May 6 in Spokane, Mar 20 – Apr 24 in Boise and Apr 28 – Jun 2 in Bend. Pick your town at the top of the page for your own dates.

When should I plant mâche in the Northwest?

Sow in late summer, from mid-August into September, for picking from late fall through winter. You can also sow in early spring, but it bolts quickly as days lengthen.

Why isn't my mâche sprouting?

The soil is probably too warm. Mâche germinates best in cool soil. Sow a little later, keep the bed moist and shaded, and be patient for up to two weeks.

What does mâche taste like?

Mild, tender and slightly nutty, with no bitterness. It's good on its own with a light dressing or mixed with sharper greens like arugula.

Also on these lists:

See what else to plant in March, April, August or September.

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