Salad leaves.

I am a first time grower of salad leaves and they have been fantastic.
There are a number of articals on the subject but it is difficult to find a good all round artical covering the area of baby/teen and grown leaves, which variety is best for which, what is the best growing medium, what can be grown hydroponicly. What can be grown all year,ect ect.
I know the zeel of the newly converted, but I like to cheat Tesco out of the price of a �£2 bag of leaves.
If anyone knows of a good artical/book or whatever please let me know.

 

Old faithful D.G. Hessayon mentions them, published some time ago but therefore cheap!The magazine 'Grow Your Own' has articles from time to time.
Nickys Seed has a section for them:
http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/baby.htm

 

I have grown salad leaves for the first time this year. I bought a salad leave seed selction and planted in a round (2.5ft diam) container. I figure that if I grow nothing else I will be financially better off. As you say �£2 a bag for 'leaves packed in a controlled atmosphere' shipped in from God knows where, just does not compare to walking outside picking what you want then eating it. In profit already, mind you I think I over sowed just a little as we are currently eating leaves with everything, so are the neighbours!

 

Know exactly what you mean. But just to be sure I put the first good crop down to luck, but because they are so good, I do not want to upset my street cred, so I thought now is the time to learn exactly what I am supposed to be doing.

 

"Contolled environment" means they are packed in a gas to prevent premature "spoiling". According to the "organic" sites, this destroys the vitamin content. So, however you grow them, they're better then the S'market salads, enjoy

 

Most varieties of salad greens you can treat as 'cut and come again' crops- just pluck a few leaves as you need them. I plant a mixture like ceejay- rocket , lamb's lettuce, watercress, purslane as well as lettuce.
This wetweather is no good for it though! :(

 

Liz
Not sure about the wet weather being bad, we've had to become rabbits to try and keep on top of it. Before anyone asks I mean like rabbits as in eating lots of green things not as in well you know...... damn it

 

what I find very annoying with salad in the supermarket, especially the packed and washed salad, it is extremely hard. I wouldn't give it to my rabbit...
I hardly ever buy pre packed salad, I have to buy the fresh stuff which still is quite hard but I don't have another choice...
But, when I will be able to grow it, yes, i would also like to grow salad because there is just no compairason between the supermarket stuff and your own tender salad that you can pick the minute before you eat it.

 

I'm growing them for the first time, this year and they seem to be coming on fine
The only salad I've found in the S/markets that aren't packed in a "controlled atmosphere" is Florette. This is the one we buy if we want a quick salad

 

I like growing salad leaves since I found out they wash the leaves in chlorine solution.

 

Try growing American land cress. Tastes like watercress, grows all year round, is self seeding, and can be washed without falling to bits. The yellow flowers also attract insect predators, hoverflies and the like, or so I'm told. I'm a big fan.

cheers,
Dave

 

I am also growing salad leaves for the first time this year....too soon to say what they will be like as they have only just germinated but the germination has proved good.

I am not keen on the salads you buy in the supermarkets as if you don't eat them the same day they seem to go off quickly. At least an iceberg lettuce keeps a while. I didn't do any veg growing last year, took a rest from it but have come back to it quite enthusiastic this year.

 

Dave, that sounds interesting, never heard of it before....can you buy the seed anywhere. Obviously some of the bigger supermarkets do not sell it or I might have seen it and given it a try. Any suggestions where I might find it?

 

Yes Dave and Moyra. I have grown landcress for ages and can't get rid of now! It being selfseeding. It certainly is tasty just like watercress, I got mine from a locay garden centre. Fairly big that has a good variety of seeds.

 

Thanks John.........fatal isn't it ? I found some on Fothergills seed site on line and have ordered some along with stacks of other seed. Where I am going to sow it all is another thing..........I have a feeling that a lot of my shrub garden is going to have to go! :D