Salad Burnet

Sanguisorba minor

taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing

Salad burnet is a graceful perennial plant that forms a 15inch mound of compound leaves. The leaves taste and smell like fresh cucumbers and are much more flavorful than many more commonly used herbs. This herb is a pleasant addition to salads, salad dressings, vinegars, beverages, sandwiches and a variety of other foods. Salad burnet should have a more prominent place in trendy gourmet foods.

• See also Home Garden Salad Burnet

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WHEN TO PLANT
Sow seeds directly in the garden in late fall or in spring. These hardy plants will withstand frost. Established plants can be divided in spring.

WHERE TO PLANT
Salad burnet prefers a location in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) or light shade (a little shade from a distant tree or some shade in the middle of the day) and it tolerates alkaline soils quite well. A welldrained but moist soil is best.

HOW TO PLANT
Prepare the soil. Sow seeds in hills 12 to 15 inches apart, then thin to 1 plant per hill when the seedlings are big enough to handle. If necessary, divide established plants in spring before growth begins. A half dozen plants are probably sufficient for most gardeners.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Once established, salad burnet takes little care. Remove the flowers to encourage more foliage. If flowers are allowed to develop and drop seed, salad burnet may become weedy spreading throughout the garden. Pull or hoe seedlings that appear. Apply 1 inch of water when there is no rain for a week.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Harvest tender new leaves once the plants are well established and before they begin to flower. Older leaves left on the plants will become bitter. Salad burnet makes an attractive mound of foliage that is appropriate for the ornamental perennial border as well as the vegetable garden.