Your winter veg just got cheaper: the 0°C-proof salad French gardeners trust, 3 sowings, 90 days?

While frost shuts down most plots, one leafy underdog slips into the limelight, saving budgets and plates through the cold.

Across France, gardeners are turning to an old cold-season ally that laughs at icy mornings. It grows low, stays crisp, and keeps the salad bowl alive when beds look bare. Many know it as winter purslane or miner’s lettuce. Botanists file it under claytonia. Whichever name you prefer, it is back, and it is rewriting winter on the allotment.

A quiet comeback in frozen beds

Frost takes the edge off most lettuces. This one starts working when the mercury dips. Its neat rosettes creep across the soil, forming a tender carpet that shrugs off short snaps of snow. Originating from colder parts of North America, claytonia adapts well to compact urban boxes and roomy country plots alike. Shade does not trouble it. Nor does thin winter light.

Why the rise now? Gardeners want reliable greens between December and March without fuss. They also want crops that do not collapse after a single cut. Winter purslane delivers both. Cut once, it reshoots. Cut again, it keeps going until spring nudges it to flower.

Cold facts that matter: claytonia keeps growing around 0°C, tolerates light snow, and rebounds quickly after a thaw.

What makes it frost-tough

Plants built for winter tend to stay low and conserve energy. This salad does exactly that. Thick leaves store moisture and sugars, which helps prevent freeze damage. Its spreading habit shelters the crown. Under a light cover of snow, it hums along slowly, then surges on mild days. Most growers skip fleece unless forecasts hint at a sharp plunge below -5°C.

Sowing plan you can copy this week

The sweet spot for sowing in much of France runs from mid-October to mid-November. Soil should sit between 7°C and 15°C. That range gives quick, even germination. Leave it too late and a sudden cold snap can snag the first leaves.

Sow shallow at 1–2 cm, aim for soil at 7–15°C, and expect steady pickings 8–10 weeks later.

Bed prep and an easy method

• Loosen the top 10 cm of soil and rake level.
• Blend in a thin layer of mature compost for a gentle boost.
• Sow broadcast for a dense carpet, or in shallow lines 15 cm apart.
• Water lightly to settle seed-to-soil contact.
• Add a fine mulch to hold moisture and soften temperature swings.

If early frosts arrive, lay a simple horticultural fleece over hoops. Remove it on mild days to keep airflow moving and fungal risks low.

Small spaces, big returns

Window boxes, crates and cold frames all suit this crop. Use containers at least 15–20 cm deep. Sow thickly, then thin lightly once seedlings show true leaves. The thinnings are edible. For steady supply, stagger three small sowings a fortnight apart. That rhythm keeps salad bowls full for roughly 90 days of winter.

Low effort care and constant picking

This crop asks for little and pays you back quickly. Keep weeds down with a shallow hoeing. Water only during dry winter spells. Slugs show little interest compared with soft lettuces, which cuts down night-time patrols. Skip extra fertiliser after the initial compost; too much feed pushes soft growth and dull flavour.

Harvest rhythm that suits busy weeks

Start cutting when leaves feel fleshy, usually from December. Take handfuls with scissors, snipping above the crown so the plant regrows. Visit the bed twice a week for the best texture. If a cold snap halts growth, wait it out; new leaves follow once the thaw arrives. Leave a few plants to flower in spring if you want to save seed and let a light self-sown patch return next year.

Key habit to remember: cut, do not pull. A light cut triggers regrowth and keeps the patch productive.

Kitchen wins when produce is scarce

Winter purslane tastes clean and slightly sweet, with a hint of cucumber. It slots into many quick meals. Mix with peppery leaves for contrast, or give it the spotlight on its own when you want mellow crunch. It softens gently when warmed and sits well beside eggs, smoked fish or roast roots.

Four smart ways to serve it

• Toss with rocket and orange segments, add a lemony dressing.
• Spoon onto toast with fresh cheese and crushed hazelnuts.