SPEEDY CUT-AND-COMEAGAIN SALADS
Growing your own salad leaves doesn’t take up a lot of space. Even a windowbox works. Start by buying ready-grown plants. Delfland Plants (www.organicplants.co.uk) sell cutand-come-again salad packs, or continually sow your own seedss from now. Place one or two seeds per module into modular trays filled with seed-sowing compost, to save time pricking out. Keep the seeds cool, because warm temperatures inhibit germination. Once the plants have filled the modules, plant outside.
Spinach and beetroot leaves can be eaten young in a few weeks, along with rocket and basil to add to your mix. Thick-textured baby spinach leaves taste best, and ‘Picasso’ is perfect. Thompson & Morgan (www. thompson-morgan. com) also do a tasty seed mixture of mixed salad leaves called ‘Baby Leaf’. Add edible flowers, such as nasturtiums (flowers and leaves) and calendula petals, to add colour to your plate and quick- grow patch.