Garden diary

Heirloom veggies, salad leaves and picking fruit – summer is definitely here!

Yes, few things are as rewarding. Jane Griffiths, author of Jane’s Delicious Garden, shares her tips for crisp salad leaves – just what you need for our recipes on page 98.

Favourite leaves for a summer salad?

Rocket; a mixture of lettuce, from crispy cos to the red and green oak lettuce with its frilly dress; “Bright Lights” Swiss chard with its beautiful red, green and orange stalks; sorrel; lamb’s lettuce for a sweet, mild flavour; red and green mustard leaves for a slight bite; and nasturtium leaves for a peppery taste.

Which are better: seeds or seedlings?

When it comes to salad leaves, I prefer seeds. They’re much cheaper, plus you can choose from a wider range. If you don’t have time to sow, seedlings are also good.

Any tips for healthy leaves?

They like fertile, loose soil and plenty of water. Most summer salad leaves are happy in full sun, except for lettuce, which prefers afternoon shade. Snails are fond of salad leaves. Roll Goldilocks pot scourers into long sausages and pack them around the edges of the bed to stop snails in their tracks. Planting herbs – chives, parsley, basil and spring onions – among the leaves allows for a balanced growth environment, attracts beneficial insects and repels the harmful ones. Also, they’re delicious in any summer salad.

How do you keep harvested leaves fresh?

Pick the leaves early in the morning or late afternoon (rather than at midday). Place them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes and spin in a salad spinner until they’re completely dry. If you’re not going to use them immediately, place them in a Ziploc bag, and use a straw to blow a little air into the bag before you seal it. Leaves will keep fresh for a few days in the fridge.

janesdeliciousgarden.com

Jane’s Delicious Herbs is available at book shops for about R285.