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01/04/20

Everything You Need to Know About Growing Your Own Salad Garden

Juicy tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, refreshing cucumber, sweet basil, and fragrant green onion. Everything you need to create a fresh and delicious salad could be right at your fingertips if you had a salad garden! The best part is you don’t need a green thumb or a big garden to pull it off. Read on to discover everything you need to know about growing your own salad garden.

Where to grow

The first factor to consider is where to grow your salad garden. The good news is you don’t need to have a big backyard for this. In fact, you don’t need a yard at all! Salad gardens can grow and thrive as much in planters and containers as they would in a vegetable garden bed. Here are some simple salad garden container ideas.

Wherever you decide on, it’s important to place your plants where they will get even sun and shelter from strong winds. Remember to research the amount of sun exposure each plant needs – this could be anything from full sun to partial shade.

It’s also a good idea to locate the salad garden as close to your kitchen as possible so you can grab those fresh ingredients as and when you need them.

What to grow

With so many options out there, it’s hard to know where to start. As a good rule of thumb, it’s best to start small – especially if you’re new to gardening. Start with one leafy green, one herb, and one fruit or veggie. That way, you can devote more of your attention to the success of your first crop. Once you’ve mastered the art of those, you can start adding to your garden and experimenting with exciting combinations.

Here are a few top picks for your salad garden:

  • Basil – Given the right conditions, this versatile herb will grow and flourish in almost any kind of container.
  • Carrots – These grow best in garden beds 1m wide and 30cm deep.
  • Celery – Be sure to choose a container that is at least 20cm deep.
  • Chives – Perfect for growing in pots on the porch or patio, or even on the kitchen windowsill.
  • Cucumber – While it is possible to grow in pots, keep in mind that cucumber requires a fair amount of vertical space.
  • Kale – This leafy green is known to grow very well indoors.
  • Lettuce – This classic salad ingredient grows perfectly in pots and planters.
  • Mustard greens – These are very tolerant of frost and heat, making them a great choice for an outdoor salad garden.
  • Spinach – This is especially easy to grow in pots.
  • Spring onions – These will grow just as well indoors as they do out.
  • Sweet bell peppers – Best to grow in good-sized pots, with the minimum being a 20-litre pot.
  • Tomatoes – This versatile fruit is great for growing in the ground, raised beds, planters, or containers.

When to sow and harvest

When deciding what to grow, keep in mind that certain plants thrive in certain times of the year. They also become ripe for the picking at different times. For example, if you want sweet cherry tomatoes in your summer or autumn salads, it’s best to sow the seeds in spring or summer as they can take up to 94 days to reach maturity.

Here are some fast-growing greens for your salad garden:

Enjoying the fruits of your labour might come quicker than you think. In fact, most salad greens are quick to grow and ready to harvest within 4 – 6 weeks! Choose from the following herbs and veggies and you won’t have to wait very long to harvest your home-grown produce.

  • Basil – Will be ready to harvest in about 7-10 weeks.
  • Chives – Can be harvested 30-60 days after planting.
  • Coriander – Can be harvested in as little as 3-4 weeks.
  • Cucumbers – Will be ready to harvest in 50-70 days.
  • Dill – Takes about 90 days.
  • Lettuce – Matures in just 45-55 days.
  • Parsley – Usually takes between 70-90 days.
  • Mint – Takes about 90 days.
  • Rocket – Reaches full maturity 45-60 days after planting.
  • Spring onions – Ready to eat in just 20-30 days.
  • Spinach – Matures in just 37-45 days.

Salad gardening tips & tricks

Because gardening can be challenging for beginners and green thumbs alike. Here are a few more tips and tricks to help ensure the success of your salad garden.

  • Pick compatible pairs and plant them together, like basil and tomatoes, carrots and onions, or lettuce and chives, for example.
  • Pant your seedlings in triangles instead of squares or rectangles. That way, you can fit 10-14% more seedlings in each bed or planter. In saying that, take care not to space your plants and greens too tightly.
  • Look out for wilting leaves as these can be a good indication of overwatering or under-watering.
  • Practice preventative pest control using eco-friendly and organic pesticides as far as possible.
  • Don’t be shy to remove leaves or cut back on your crop as required as this will help encourage new growth.
  • Always follow the instructions as laid out on the seedling packet or provided by your local nursery.

Recipes to make your salad garden shine

Your salad garden is thriving and its finally time to start slicing, dicing, and preparing some delicious homemade salads! Another great thing about growing your own fresh produce is that you can use it for all sorts of other dishes as well. From salads and stir-fries to flavoured butters and pies.

Here are some delicious recipes that will make your salad garden shine:

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Do you have any salad gardening tips and tricks that you use? Please share it with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.