French corn salad microgreens, also known as Mache lettuce microgreens or lamb's lettuce microgreens, is a European cold-weather leafy vegetable that has a mild, nutty flavor. This delectable microgreen is the perfect complement to any microgreen salad. It can also be used as a tasty garnish.
Mache lettuce microgreens are filled with a variety of nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, folic acid, iron, and potassium. These microgreens are ready within a matter of days, making them a wonderful choice for beginner microgreen gardeners.
Our French Corn Salad Microgreens Profile provides you with the pertinent information you need when growing these microgreens. The table is easy to read and allows you to quickly find the growing information that you need.
| Attribute | Profile |
| Flavor | French corn salad microgreens are described as having a mild, nutty flavor. |
| Pre-Soak (Yes/No) | No presoaking is needed. |
| Color | These microgreens have pale green stems with bright green leaves. |
| Germination Time | Germination time is 2 to 3 days. They require about 3 to 4 days blackout time. |
| Harvest Time | You can expect to harvest your Mache lettuce microgreens in about 8 to 12 days. |
| Green Thumb Level (1-5) | 1 – These microgreens are very easy to grow and can be grown alongside other microgreens. |
Once considered a weed, corn salad greens have been cultivated in France and other parts of Europe since the 17th century. The soft, tender texture of these microgreens pair beautifully with a variety of other microgreens.
We have assembled the most commonly asked questions concerning growing, harvesting, and eating French corn salad microgreens.
No, like most microgreens Mache lettuce microgreens do not regrow once it has been harvested. Once you harvest your microgreens, place any remaining shoots and the soil into your compost pile.
These fast growing microgreens are ready within about a week and a half to two weeks.
You will need approximately one ounce of seeds for each growing tray. One ounce of French Corn Salad microgreen seeds contains around 17,000 seeds.
The equipment needed to grow corn salad microgreens is standard. You will need a growing medium, seeds, growing trays, and a few other pieces of equipment. Although multiple growing methods can be used, we recommend following the instructions listed below. When these instructions are followed and the optional pieces of equipment are purchased, you will be rewarded with a large crop of lamb's lettuce microgreens
A starter kit will contain the pieces of equipment needed to get started, including grow trays, a sample growing medium, a variety of seeds, and a misting bottle. We recommend Mountain Valley Seed Company's Deluxe Microgreens Starter Kit available at True Leaf Market.
If you prefer to purchase the pieces of equipment needed to start growing lamb's lettuce microgreens, you will need the following items. We have also included a few optional pieces of equipment. Although these are optional, we recommend them as they will help ensure a healthy, bountiful crop.
Corn salad microgreens are super easy to grow and can be grown using several different methods and growing mediums. However, we recommend using a coconut coir growing medium for your Mache lettuce microgreens.
Coconut coir is produced from the husks of coconuts. This renewable growing medium holds a lot of water yet prevents root rot and mildew. Finally, coconut coir is pH neutral, meaning it can be used to grow any variety of microgreens.
Seed starting soil is a fine grained soil designed for delicate seedlings. Although this type of soil contains extra nutrients, they are not needed for microgreens. Everything the microgreens need is found within the seed.
You will need three trays for your French corn salad microgreens. Two will be used for the bottom and one will be used on the top. You will want one tray with drainage holes and two without drainage holes. The most common size for grow trays is 10 inches by 20 inches; however, there are other sizes available.
The growing tray with drainage holes is used to hold your growing medium and your microgreen seeds. This type of growing tray allows you to water your microgreens from the bottom up to help prevent root rot, mildew, and mold.
One tray without drainage holes will be used as a blackout, humidity dome. The other tray will be used to hold the growing tray with drainage holes.
A misting bottle lets you gently water your delicate French corn salad microgreens. The gentle mist waters the soil without disturbing seeds and seedlings.
A grow light will help ensure that your microgreens will grow healthy by providing consistent light.
A heating mat is used to regulate the soil temperature to promote germination.
A planting rack allows you to stack your microgreens vertically to maximize growing space.
Circulation fans are used to increase airflow and reduce the risk of soilborne diseases like root rot and mold.
French Corn Salad Microgreens – Mountain Valley Seed Company's Valerianella olitoria is an heirloom, non-GMO corn salad microgreen that is chockfull of nutrients and flavor. The leafy green vegetable's mild nutty flavor is great in salads or used as a garnish.
Our easy to follow step by step growing guide will teach you how to plant your microgreens, harvest your microgreens, and store your microgreens. Gather the supplies described above and get ready to begin growing French corn salad microgreens.
The first step involves preparing your growing trays and getting them ready for planting your microgreen seeds. Start by grabbing your tray with drainage holes and filling it with your preferred growing medium. Once your tray is filled, gently press the growing medium down, ensuring the soil is even and spread to the corners. The soil level should be slightly below the top of the tray. If necessary, add more growing medium until it is level and slightly below the top of the growing tray.
Next, you want to thoroughly wet the soil. You can do this by setting your prepared growing tray in a few inches of water for 30 minutes, allowing the soil to draw water upward. Another option is to use your misting bottle and saturate your soil. Allow the water to soak in for 15 minutes. Then, spray an additional 3 to 4 times to ensure the soil is saturated completely.
You will need approximately one ounce of French corn salad microgreens seeds for every 10 by 20 inch growing tray. There are approximately 17,000 seeds in each ounce. Because the seeds are so tiny, an herb shaker bottle like this one will help you sow your French corn salad microgreens seeds.
Shake the seeds evenly across the entire soil surface. Make sure that the seeds are spread into each corner. Then, gently sprinkle some growing medium over the seeds until they are barely covered. Finally, gently pat down the soil with your hands to press the seeds into the soil.
Once you have sewn your French corn salad microgreen seeds, they are ready to germinate. Seeds must be placed in the darkness and subjected to pressure to germinate properly. This can be accomplished by inverting the final tray atop your soil and putting a weight atop the inverted tray.
Grab a heavy book, stone, or weight and place it atop the inverted tray. This will mimic the pressure and weight the seed would experience if it were planted in the ground. You may be concerned that this weight will harm your seeds; however, it will not. In fact, the weight will ensure that the French corn salad microgreens grow healthy and strong.
Next, place your grow tray on your grower's rack and atop a heating mat. The optimal soil temperature is between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The heating mat will keep your soil at a constant temperature throughout the germination process.
French corn salad microgreens germinate rather quickly, so you will probably not need to water your growing medium; however, checking the moisture level daily will ensure the soil doesn't dry out. If the soil becomes dry to the touch, you can gently spray the top of the soil with your mister or water from the bottom as described above.
Your French corn salad microgreens should germinate within 3 or 4 days. Once 90 percent of your seeds have sprouted, it is time to remove the weight and the inverted tray. You will then be ready to place your French corn salad microgreens under grow lights to activate photosynthesis.
When the top growing tray is removed, your microgreens will be a whitish yellow. This is nothing to worry about. Once you place your microgreens under a grow light, they will quickly turn green.
For optimal growth and development, your microgreen tops should be within 12 inches of the grow light. This will ensure optimal photosynthesis will occur. Photosynthesis is the process where the plant begins producing chlorophyll, which is what causes the plants to turn bright green.
Your full spectrum LED grow lights should remain on for 12 to 16 hours each day. This will provide your plants with the amount of light that they would receive if they were planted outdoors. For the other 8 hours, your plants should be exposed to darkness.
Circulation fans are designed to increase the airflow around your French corn salad microgreens. Because microgreens are planted so close together, they are at an increased risk of soilborne diseases. Circulation fans reduce this risk.
Attach your circulation fans on the sides of your grow rack. When attaching the fans, make sure they are positioned so the air will blow across the top of your microgreen leaves. The airflow should not blow across the soil as this will cause your soil to dry out prematurely.
It takes approximately 8 to 12 days for your French corn salad microgreens to reach the microgreen size and be ready for harvest. French corn salad microgreens will be ready to harvest when they reach approximately 2 to 3 inches high, and the first set of true leaves begin forming.
Once this occurs, taste your corn salad microgreens and ensure they have the flavor profile and texture that you want. When they have reached this level, it is time to harvest your microgreens; however, before doing so, withhold water from your French corn salad microgreens for 12 hours to increase the lifespan of your harvested microgreens.
Once your French corn salad microgreens are ready for harvest, you must work quickly. The delicate stems must not be crushed during the harvesting process as this can shorten the lifespan. Furthermore, the microgreens should not be exposed to any water and should be placed in storage quickly for best results.
You will need a few clean, dry paper towels, an airtight storage bag or container, and a pair of sharp scissors or a sharp knife. Place a few paper towels on your countertop or a clean plate. Then, gently grasp your microgreens in one hand, and using the sharp knife or pair of scissors cut the microgreens slightly above the top of the soil. As you cut your microgreens, lay them in a single layer on your paper towels.
Only harvest one tray of microgreens at a time and follow these storage instructions to maximize storage lifetimes. Once you have harvested your French corn salad microgreens gently wrap them in a clean, dry paper towel and place them in an airtight storage container or storage bag.
Place your French corn salad microgreens immediately in your refrigerator. For best results, place your microgreens in the vegetable crisper. The optimal storage temperature for French corn salad microgreens is between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When properly harvested and stored, your French corn salad microgreens will last about two weeks in the refrigerator.
French corn salad microgreens are a delicious microgreen chockful of vital nutrients. These microgreens are a crunchy, mild-flavored, and a terrific addition to microgreen salads. The small bright, green leaves add interest to any plate when they are used as a garnish. Mache lettuce microgreens are easy to grow, making them a great microgreen for a beginner as well as pro microgreen gardeners.
