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Salad Burnet

Sanguisorba Minor · Rosaceae

Perennial salad herb with small serrated leaflets that taste mildly of cucumber. Best in cool weather and lean well-drained soil, where it forms tidy rosettes for frequent leaf harvest. Key facts: 70–90 days to maturity, 4+ hours of sun, 8–12 " spacing. Container-friendly (minimum 2-gallon pot).

Updated April 19, 2026 · Backed by 4 cited sources
Overview

At a Glance

The essentials first: timing, light, spacing, seed-starting, container fit, and overall size.

Days to maturity
70–90 days
Sun
4+ hours
Full Sun In Cool Weather Or Light Shade In Warmer Areas
Spacing
8–12 "
between plants
Seed start
0–4 weeks
before transplant
Container
Yes
2+ gallon pot
Height
0.5–1.5 ft
at maturity
Planting window

Zone Planting Guide

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Care

Growing Guide

Everything in one place: seed starting, transplant timing, watering, soil, and structural support.

Seed starting
Germination
Time7–14 days
Optimal temperature65°F
Seed depth0.25"
Moving outdoors
Transplanting
Minimum soil temp45°F
Harden off5 days
Moisture
Watering
Weekly0.75–1.25 "
NeedsModerate
Drip or base watering
Root zone
Soil
pH range6–7.5
PreferredWell Drained Average To Lean Garden Soil
Salad Burnet seeds

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When you shop through this link, SoilStack earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's how we keep the site free and the calendar ad-free. Every product on this page was hand-selected based on university extension research.

Salad Burnet seeds

Heirloom variety from Seeds Now.

Shop on Seeds Now
Resilience

Plant Health

Stress tolerance, resistance notes, and the most common problems to watch for as plants mature.

Tolerance
Heat: Moderate Cold: High Drought: Moderate

Common Issues

Summer Bitterness

Cause: Heat and drought toughen the leaves

Prevention: Provide steady moisture and light afternoon shade in hot climates

Crown Rot

Cause: Poor drainage around the perennial crown

Prevention: Plant in well-drained soil and avoid winter wetness

Self Seeding

Cause: Plants left to flower and set seed can volunteer nearby

Prevention: Clip flower stems if tidy growth is preferred

Feeding & picking

Nutrition & Harvest

How hungry the plant is, what ripe harvest looks like, and how long the crop keeps after picking.

Feeding
Nutrition
Feeding intensityLight feeder
RecipesWorm Castings Topdress, Compost Tea
Timing
Harvest

Young serrated leaflets are bright green, tender, and cucumber-scented; flower stems are still short if harvested for leaves.

Expected yield0.2–0.6 lbs/plant
Storage5 days — Refrigerate loosely wrapped and use fresh for the mild cucumber flavor.
Plant relationships

Companion Planting

Helpful neighbors can support growth or deter pests. Keep antagonistic plants separated to reduce stress and competition.

What you'll need

Growing Supplies

Based on Salad Burnet's growth profile -- recommendations matched to this variety's specific requirements.

Drip irrigation / soaker hose kit

Every gardener benefits from putting water at the root zone instead of on the leaves, because drip and soaker systems reduce foliar disease pressure by limiting leaf wetness and soil splash. A quality kit should include a backflow preventer, filter, pressure reducer, and UV-resistant tubing.

Source: Iowa State University Extension; Colorado State University Extension; UMass Extension

Soil test kit

A soil test gives a baseline for pH and nutrient status so gardeners can add only what the soil actually needs. Prioritize a mail-in or lab-affiliated kit whenever possible because extension guidance notes that laboratory testing is more accurate than instant readers.

Source: University of Maryland Extension; Purdue Extension; Montana State University Extension

Quality bypass pruners

Extension guidance favors bypass designs because they make cleaner, closer cuts on living tissue than anvil types. Look for hardened steel blades that can be sharpened, a comfortable grip, and a cutting capacity matched to real home-garden stems.

Source: University of New Hampshire Extension; Iowa State University Extension; Purdue University Extension

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Research

Sources

Reference material and extension guidance used to build this growing guide.

seed_catalog Seeds Nowreference RHS / herb referencesuniversity Extension-style perennial herb culture referencesinference Estimated gdd from salad burnet establishment and cut-and-come-again leaf harvest timing
Internal links

Salad Burnet Planting Dates by Zone

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