Pick fresh, homegrown leaves from spring to autumn without a big veg patch. Here's the simple way to do it.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
Nothing beats nipping out to the garden for a handful of fresh leaves. Salad crops are among the easiest things you can grow — quick to mature, happy in pots, and perfect for anyone short on space.
Lettuce and leaves don't all need to go in at once. Sow a small row or pot every couple of weeks from early spring to late summer and you'll have a continuous supply instead of a glut, because salad obligingly bolts once it matures.
Instead of growing whole hearts, sow mixed leaf seed thickly and harvest by snipping leaves a few centimetres above the ground. The plants regrow quickly, and you can take several picks from a single sowing before it finally gives up.
Lettuce, rocket, spinach and leaves all grow well in troughs, pots and window boxes. A sheltered, sunny spot with rich, moisture-retentive compost gives you salads right outside the back door — and containers make slugs and weather much easier to manage.
Salad bolts and turns bitter in hot, dry conditions. Water regularly, provide some afternoon shade in a heatwave, and pick leaves in the morning when they're crisp. That gentle routine keeps a fresh salad on the table right through the season.
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