How to Grow Baby Greens

Salad used to be boring (think chunks of iceberg lettuce smothered in dressing), but that was before baby greens hit the salad scene. Baby greens are simply greens that are harvested while they are still young and tender. If you like a mix of spicy, crunchy and mild greens, buy a packet of mesclun seed--a premixed blend of lettuces, mustards, radicchio, and endive. Or, if you prefer simple lettuce salads, create a custom blend of frilly green and burgundy leaf lettuces mixed with romaines. Baby greens are definitely instant gratification vegetables-you'll be harvesting your first salad in under a month-and all you need to get started are some seeds and soil.

Instructions

1. Putting a little bit of effort into preparing your soil before you sow baby greens pays off with significantly higher germination rates and reduced weed problems. Before you plant, get out your hoe and weed your lettuce bed thoroughly. Then, using a garden fork or spade, turn the soil over and take out any large, hard clods of soil, rocks and crop debris. Rake the soil back and forth with a bow rake until it has a smooth, fine, crumbly texture.

2. Water the soil well. Then sprinkle the seeds as thinly as possible across the soil in a 2- to 3-inch wide band. Space rows of baby greens 6 to 8 inches apart. Gently press the seeds into the damp soil to ensure good soil to seed contact and then cover the seeds with a very light layer of potting soil or compost.

3. Water the seeds in with a gentle stream of water. I find a watering can works best. If you water with a hose wand, take caution. The spray is often too strong and causes all of the seeds to float together into a haphazard clump. Keep the seeds evenly moist until they germinate (7 to 10 days).

4. Once the seedlings pop out of the ground, they grow fast! Greens are made up mainly of water, so for the best flavor and texture keep the soil evenly moist.

5. When the greens are about four inches tall, simply mow them down with scissors, leaving a 1 inch stub. After cutting, pour one cup of diluted fish emulsion alongside the row to give the plants a little kick start. The greens will re-grow in just a few weeks and you can get two to three harvests from one sowing. Plant every two weeks throughout the summer to keep up a continuous harvest.

Tips & Warnings

• Slugs and snails love baby greens. Control these slimy pests organically by sprinkling an organic slug bait, such as Sluggo, onto the soil near your greens and avoid using mulch because slugs and snails use it as a hideout.

• Be careful not to bury the seeds more than 1/8 inch deep as lettuce needs some light to germinate.

Resources

• DigginFood