5 Quick Salad Crops To Sow Now

Salads are one of the easiest and most productive crops to grow, as seeds can not only be sown in the vegetable patch outside, but they can also be grown in containers, so are perfect for beginners or those who don’t have a garden. The straightforward growing method means they are practically hassle-free, and you can harvest them several times before the plant finishes producing tasty leaves. Take a look at five types you can sow now.

Rocket
This peppery-flavoured leaf is a classic in summer salads and is easy to grow at home. Seeds can be sown in containers or outside at a depth of around 1cm. As the foliage grows then the leaves can be thinned, and remember that these can be eaten too, so don’t throw them away! Space rows at a distance of 15cm, so that the crops have room to develop.

Bolting can be an issue, which is when the plant runs to seed, so make sure to keep this edible watered so that the soil doesn’t dry out. Be wary of overwatering, however, as this will affect the strong flavour of the leaves. Pick them when they are the size you desire as cut-and-come-again crops, meaning you will be provided with several yields, although be careful not to take all of the leaves from the same plant, as this will affect its vigour.

Spinach
This classic iron-rich leaf is delicious eaten raw or cooked and used in a variety of recipes. Sow seeds at a depth of 2.5cm in the veg patch, or alternatively you can sow in containers or raised beds, but make sure they are big enough. Keep rows at a distance of 30cm, so specimens are not struggling for space here. You can prepare ahead with this crop, too, beginning to sow winter cultivars in August for harvesting in autumn.

Thin the foliage as it develops, before taking every other plant to provide room for others to grow to maturity. As with all salads, don’t let these thinnings go to waste, they are great extra additions to meals, and summer cultivars should be ready to harvest now, too.

Sorrel
These flavoursome herbs, have a subtle lemony flavour and give that extra lift to salads. Seeds can be sown in containers at a depth of 1cm, and as the seedlings develop they can be potted up into larger pots. During the spring and summer place the containers in a warm area outside, although make sure the sunshine isn’t too strong as it will dry out the soil.

As this crop can be grown in the veg patch or containers, it is suited to whichever growing conditions are available to you. As the plants develop, you can gain more than one by dividing this herb once they have been growing for several years. This will help keep productivity of this tasty foliage high.

Mizuna and Mibuna
These leaves are increasingly popular and make great additions to a variety of meals with the slight peppery taste of mizuna, and mustard flavour of mibuna. Sow seeds now outdoors in rows. Spacings for growing these crops vary depending on whether you want to grow for cut-and-come-again plants, young or mature, so be sure to check the information on your seed packet before sowing!

These salad plants can be grown in a sunny area, but with some slight shade during these scorching summer months. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out as this can lead to bolting, so water regularly.

You can find out more about growing salad leaves by reading the guide on our website, click here.

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