September 2011 Product Spotlight: Mache, Larkspur, Chives

Yes, you can still plant!

Overwintering crops and cold-hardy greens should be seeded soon outside in the South and under Quick™ Hoops or row cover in the North.

Here are some crops and products to consider this month:

Mache

VIT Mache

Mache, also known as corn salad or lambs lettuce, is a salad vegetable that is extremely popular in Europe and gaining a devoted following in the U.S., especially among chefs. The mild, sweet, crisp leaves have a slightly nutty flavor that allows mache to stand alone as a salad, or give a new dimension to lettuce salad mixes.
The key to successful mache production is to grow it in cold weather, when soil temperature is 41˚-68˚F/5˚-20˚C and growing temperature is below 70˚F/21˚C daytime. Direct seed at a rate of 28-45 seeds per square foot and harvest by cutting the complete plant near the root crown. Yield is approximately .2 lb per square foot or 22 lb per manpower hour.
#419, VIT, is a disease-resistant variety with long, glossy green leaves. 50 days to maturity.

Larkspur

Johnny's Larkspur Sublime Formula Mix

A hardy annual that needs cold to germinate, larkspur is one of the earliest cut flowers in spring. Its tall, full spikes of pink, white, blue, purple, and bicolor florets are highly desirable in the florist trade and create a strong accent in mixed bouquets. Larkspur also makes an excellent dried flower simply by hanging it upside down in a warm, dark, breezy area.
#1785 Johnny's Larkspur Sublime Formula Mix: This custom seed mix includes all of the individual colors offered by Johnny's including the new Sublime Bicolor, a dark purple splashed with white.

Chives and Garlic Chives

Purly Chives

Chinese Leeks/Garlic Chives

#793 Purly: Chives can be direct seeded now and they will grow quickly in spring to be one of the first herbs at market. Purly is an easy-to-grow Johnny's exclusive with versatile, medium-sized leaves.
#925 Chinese Leeks/Garlic Chives (OG) have thin, flat leaves with a delicate garlic flavor. The starry, white edible flowers have stiff, long stems that can be used in summer bouquets.