How to Grow Purslane
Portulaca oleracea
Purslane is a succulent, heat-loving salad green that thrives where lettuce fails. Sow direct after last frost into warm soil, or scatter seed in gaps between other crops. It needs almost no care — just warmth and occasional water. Harvest young stems and leaves for salads; they have a pleasant lemony crunch and are exceptionally rich in omega-3s. Pinch out flowers to extend the harvest. Will self-seed prolifically if allowed to set seed.
When to Start
Start seeds indoors 2 weeks before your last frost date. Transplant outdoors once night temperatures stay above 10°C and soil has warmed to at least 15°C.
Don't know your frost date? Find it here →
Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Rarely needed. Purslane thrives in poor soil. Excess nitrogen makes growth leggy and reduces flavour.
- An incredibly easy, heat-loving salad green rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Grows fast in hot weather when lettuce bolts. Self-seeds readily if allowed to flower.
Growing Conditions
- Min. soil temperature
- 15°C+
- Germination temperature
- 18–35°C
Enter your last frost date to see your dates
- Sow indoors
- —
- Transplant out
- —
- First harvest
- —
Want your full season plan with reminders? Try Leaftide free
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 15 cm |
| Row spacing | 30 cm |
| Sow depth | 0.3 cm |
| Mature height | 20 cm |
| Mature spread | 30 cm |
Can be broadcast-sown as a cut-and-come-again crop or spaced for larger individual plants.
Pests & Diseases
Pest Slugs
Identification: Seedlings eaten overnight, slime trails on soil surface
- Beer traps
- Copper barriers
- Sow thickly to compensate
- Ferric phosphate pellets
Disease Damping Off Pythium spp.
Symptoms: Seedlings collapse at soil level, stems thin and water-soaked at the base
Treatment: Remove affected seedlings. Improve ventilation.
Prevention: Sow thinly. Use clean compost. Avoid overwatering. Ensure good air circulation.
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 15°C |
| Germination temperature | 18–35°C |
| Base growth temperature | 10°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 11h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | day neutral |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Purslane?
- Plant Purslane 15cm apart with 30cm between rows.
- When can I harvest Purslane?
- Purslane is ready to harvest approximately 25 days after transplanting.
- Is Purslane frost hardy?
- Purslane is classified as Tender.
