Cut and Grow Again and Again
Lettuce and other types of salad greens are not only super nutritious, but they are also easy to grow and can be cut, and eaten, with regrowth occurring, several times in one season. These salad greens are the magic beanstalk of the garden, growing again and again, to supply your family with delicious nutrition throughout the growing season.
Just as these greens are providing you and your family with sumptuous salads all season long, the proper steps should be taken to protect them, so that they can work their magic in peace. A deer fence is durable, reliable, and effective at keeping out woodland creatures like rabbits, raccoons, deer, skunks, and other hungry critters. With deer fencing placed around the perimeter of your garden, you won’t have to worry about walking outside only to find mangled crops, and all of your hard work gone down the drain.
Preparing Soil for Your Salad Green Garden
If you choose to use containers, be certain that the pots and potting mix are food safe. You will notice that many of the potting soils are not safe to grow food, so take the time to research and read the labels.
If you are planting in the ground, add mature compost to the garden soil at least twice a year, or more depending on the soil type, acidity, and drainage. Remember, it’s vital that the soil preserve moisture, and doesn’t become too moist or too dry; or else the delicious salad greens will not grow properly!
How Does Your Garden Grow?
If you give your garden the attention it needs, and keep a careful eye on the quality and moisture content of the soil your seeds are growing in, as well as having your garden properly protected; you should see a bounty of delicious results. Depending on the time of year, seeds will take 3-4 weeks if you are planting in warmer months, and a few weeks longer if the atmosphere is still cool.
Check the seedlings at least once a day and be sure that the soil is damp and not bone dry. Sprinkle water over the seeds and seedlings, when necessary, never flood recently sown seeds.
Best Seeds to Grow
You can choose to purchase a packet of different types of seeds like Plant Leaf Blend Lettuce Seeds or Mesclun Mix. This salad garden of seeds will yield a bountiful harvest of all types of leafy lettuces to choose from, however, it may be a bit tricky to know which one is which.
Grouping types of seeds together will allow you to keep track of and identify the various greens you have planted, as each will be easily distinguishable from the other.
Kohl Rabi
Mache
Daikon
Golden Yellow Chinese Cabbage
Cress
Endive
Giant Red Mustard
Arugula
Spigarello
Spinach
Mibuna
Oriental Mustard
Chervil
Beets
Tatsoi
Loose leaf lettuce
Upland Cress
Harvesting Your Greens
As long as the plant is not bolting, producing flowers and seeds, it is ready to be harvested. If flowers are budding, you’ll end up with bitter tasting salad leaves.
The leaves should be 3-4 inches tall before your first harvest.
Don’t cut your greens too far ahead of time, as they will wilt. Cut them immediately before eating to bring out the absolute best flavor.
Don’t cut any more than you’ll need for what you want to consume right now. Leave the rest for tomorrow’s lunch.
Be sure to use clean scissors, kitchen scissors are preferable as they are already used for consumables and are consistently cleaned.
Cut and eat only the tops of the leaves, you’ll want to leave at least an inch between the soil and the cut.
Maximize the experience by smelling and tasting the leaves as you cut them. You’ll familiarize yourself with each of them and establish favorites.
Keep Sowing Seeds
Every 2-3 weeks, you can sow more seeds to supplement the garden. Feel free to plant new seeds alongside older plants. As you exhaust one planting, you’ll have more to look forward to in various stages of development. Remember, depending on the warmth and humidity of the air, it will likely take a few weeks for new greens to appear. Be patient, that’s why you are working through your first planting!
Keeping the Soil Healthy
You’ll notice that once you’ve harvested several plantings, the greens will start to get tough and/or start to bolt. This is the time to pull them from your garden and place them in a compost pile.
Nurture the garden soil by adding compost to it several times a year, and rotate your crops to keep them and the soil they are growing in, healthy.
Enjoy your delicious salads all season long!
