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Jeff Green | May 07, 2009

by Margaret Inwood, Lanark County Master Gardeners

Even in a small gardening space, you can grow a lot of different salad greens because they can be planted closely together. One can purchase a seed package of mesclun, which will probably contain lettuce, endive, chicory, oriental grasses, kale and mustards. You can buy separate packages of loose-leaf and head lettuce in red and green, and romaine lettuce. The red or green oakleaf lettuce can be cut and will re-grow. Then there is arugula, and of course green onions. All of these produce a lot of colour, delicate flavour, some peppery, tangy or bittersweet, and others such as mustard, anise, basil, chard, and chives add their own taste. When picked in the baby state, they are tender and the only dressing is a little virgin olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and sea salt.

To grow good salad greens, prepare the bed with deep, rich, light, loose soil. And water daily, feeding the bed every week. In August when everything has bolted, or eaten, or past its prime, dig up the earth and start again from seed for a new, late summer crop. If you do not own a vegetable garden, you can grow some of these salad greens in containers or window boxes.

For more gardening information phone Lori Mackay at 613-256-9228