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The Mache Corn Salad Big Seeded, ‘Valerianella locusta’, has the mildest flavor and softest texture of any salad green. The leaves are so tender, they melt in your mouth. We chose the big-seeded Mache variety because it handles spring/summer heat without getting bitter. Great for both north and south gardens. This old garden green, enjoyed in the late stone age, contrasts nicely with the sharp-flavored greens in salads. It tastes delightful cooked quickly like spinach and combines nicely with fruits and vegetables. Mache Corn Salad is cool season annual. In northern climates, plant in early spring as soon as the ground is workable. In mild climates, plant in the fall for winter harvest. Mache prefers fertile, moist, and well drained soil. Mache is good for intercropping among larger vegetables such as broccoli and looks great with other greens. To harvest, simply cut off at ground level. The leaves can be picked off when they are 1 to 2 inches long.

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The Celery Chinese Kin-Tsai (Qin cai, Kun choi), ‘Apium graveolens’, is one of the most widely grown vegetables in China. The leaves have a strong celery flavor that is essential for Chinese cuisine. In China, Chinese Celery is an ancient vegetable. In 1972, bamboo slips, used to record recipes, were excavated from the Han dynasty tombs. Chinese celery was one of the ingredients on those recipes. The flavor is more robust than American celery. The leaves are generally stir-fried and incorporated into meat and fish dishes. It is also used in soups, stews, and rice dishes. Plant 5 weeks before last frost date. It can be sown every 6 weeks through the summer for continual crops. In warm climates, sow in the fall. The soil should be well drained and very fertile with lots of organic matter. Cut individual stems or harvest the whole plant about 1 inch above the ground.

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