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A salad garden is simple and satisfying to grow, whether you have a large area or just a few containers. I like to grow both mixed baby lettuces and full heads of lettuce. All lettuce grows best in cool weather, from spring through early summer, and in early fall in most places. Here's how to grow your own gourmet-quality greens.
5 steps to baby lettuce The quick way to grow tender baby leaves of four or five different types of lettuces is to use a mesclun mixture. (Mesclun is a term used to describe a seasonal mixture of greens that is sown, grown, and cut together.) I like to use a mesclun that is made up of different lettuces.
1. Start by preparing a 2- to 3-square-foot area. Use a garden fork to turn the soil and break up any clumps, so the soil has an even, fine texture. Or, fill a container, such as a half-barrel or 15- to 18-inch-wide planter, with good-quality potting soil. Next, moisten the soil.
2. Pour the mesclun seeds into your palm, close your hand, and carefully shake out the seeds over the bed. Try to leave about a half-inch between the seeds. (Practice sowing over paper towels to get the knack of even spacing.) Sift fine soil or potting mix lightly over the seeds, covering them with a layer about a quarter inch deep. Then sprinkle the newly sown bed with water, wetting the soil thoroughly but gently.
3. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination occurs, in about one to two weeks (seedlings may come up at different rates).
4. When your baby lettuces are 4 to 5 inches tall (after 35 to 45 days), you can begin to enjoy them in salads. Be sure not to let the plants get too large. Using sharp scissors, shear off leaves at 1 to 2 inches above the soil level. Cut only as much as you need. Gently rinse and dry the greens, and make a salad as soon as possible; baby leaves do not keep long in the refrigerator.
5. After you harvest, water the bed well, and feed lightly with liquid fish fertilizer. The cut lettuce crowns will regrow for another harvest or two.
Seed expert Renee Shepherd owns Renee's Garden, whose packets of seeds are sold in garden centers nationwide.
