Cut and come again salad plants? 29 May 2021 at 8:25PM edited 29 May 2021 at 8:38PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 12 replies 381 views

twopenny

I've thought about it but pre covid the supermarket did organic salad leaves that were delicious so didn't bother battling slugs in the garden.

This year and last these aren't stocked just masses of tasteless and an aray of wilting bagged stuff. Even the whole lettuce lacks flavour.

Can you recommend some that I could grow for cutting once or twice a week, preferably that I can grow in a pot or trough as I'm short of space?

-taff

Buy the living salad from lidl or alsi, separate and plant as individual lettuces. There's usually loads in there.

twopenny

Thanks Taff - but in our tiny Lidl (don't have the others) they don't have those.

Sounds like a great idea though.

MovingForwards

American land cress, valmaine lettuce, water cress, spinach (cut when leaves are small), beetroot leaf (cut when small and beet still grows), lettuce salad bowl, amaranth red army, red salad lettuce bowl.

I can look at what else I've got in the garden tomorrow and list those off, I can't find the empty packets to tell you now.

MovingForwards

Mizuma, mustard leaf, mixed lettuce and a spicy one.

The mustard one didn't taste of it.

twopenny

Thank you Moving, that's really helpful.

I've spent today moving stuff (more to move :-() and have given away troughs I could have used but I'll find a way.

Next hurdle is to battle with the crowds on Bank Holiday. Not looking for seeds but just looking. I'll take the list with me.

So looking forward to salad food that tastes of something!

MovingForwards

Do you have any seed trays, different sized pots or anything else similar? You could do a rockery style salad bar with pots at different heights, sizes and shapes all bunched together. Snip off the greens as and when required.

Everything homegrown tastes of something. It's worth experimenting as there may be a new taste or even something normally avoided which tastes totally different as it's not quickly force grown.

twopenny

That's a great idea MovingForwards. I've been giving my pots to a charity stall but they are free/donation to get them back and I can choose the relevant sizes.

That should help to keep the slugs at bay too. I'll trundle to the cheapie shop first to see if there are any seeds left before I go to the heaving take a mortgage out garden centre.

I saw a similar idea in a 40's book making tiers of wire netting, fill with soil and plant strawberries. Keeps them off the ground and clean, easy to water and saves space. Always meant to try that.

MovingForwards

It's worth a look at premier seeds direct, 99p for 2000+ seeds per packet, p&p is the same.

I usually slip in several different types of seeds, fruit / veg / salad. Gives me the option of having the following years ready, sharing some or getting sow happy 😀

Anything you've got at home or in the garden can probably be repurposed. An off cut of guttering, plastic crate, bucket, £1 supermarket bag etc drill / cut drainage holes in and instantly there's another growing space.

Let us know how you get on.

Davesnave

I'd second Premier seeds, or Nicky's. They do mixes, or concoct your own.

Speaking of something different, a leucanthemum came up with my mixed salad in a trough this spring. It was probably lurking in the soil, as I only replenished the top layer. Not realising that, I harvested it along with the other leaves for a while. It was reasonably edible when young, but past its best when flowers started to form and I decided it wasn't part of the mix !

twopenny

I've bought some seed at 89p a pack (all the other stuff I've bought under this name have been fine) so Spinach & Rocket for a start.

It's been hard to explore with the glorious multitude decending here this weekend. Tomorrow may be better.