What's in your Salad Bed?

[Jay-ell]

Being from the North East of England I've grown up with a tradition that salad consists of a bit of torn up iceberg Lettuce, a bit of onion, halves of tomato, some Cucumber anf possibly a bit of radish or a boiled egg.

Needless to say, I grew up not really bothering with salad.

What's everyone growing in their salad bed?

[Lady BlackThumb]

I used to be not a fan of salad (coming from a food culture that doesn't do "raw veg"), and my exposure to salad was either tasteless iceberg with shreds of lump carrots, or naked rocket that defies all attempt of eating it with dignity.

That said, my in laws introduced me to an Arabic /Mediterranean salad that consist of
Romaine lettuce, cucumber, spring onion, mint, tomatoes (shred and chop finely, as though you can eat with a spoon), and tossed with generous olive oil + lemon + salt to taste. Life changing.

Back on topic: Right now in my salad bed I have
- lettuce "Arctic King"
- some tricolour romaine
- Chinese mustard "green in snow"
- spinach "red kitten" (as pretty as rainbow chard!)

A bit worried about them bolting as I started them quite late, but ah well I will harvest what I can!

[Gillykat]

Hahaha yes, you've PERFECTLY described the same sort of salad my mother would knock up when I was a bairn in the 70's Change the onion for a spring onion or two (scallions she called them) and the lettuce was nothing as posh as iceberg, it was one of those floppy ones. If we didn't have boiled egg we'd have a slice or two of chopped pork or, on Sunday, Pek Nae wonder I was 8st for years with no effort!

Nowadays my salads are usually along the lines of iceberg lettuce, tomato, diced cucumber, a few rings of red onion, spring onions chopped up, chopped up peppers, a boiled egg or two, beetroot, finely chopped radish and a dash of coleslaw and cous cous. I'll also sprinkle a few sultanas on top. It's a lovely colourful plate and leaves me completely stuffed!

Most I grow myself apart from sultanas, cous cous, coleslaw (need to start making my own) and the eggs which will be sorted once I get my girls.

[Jay-ell]

I like to add in herbs such as lemon balm, basil, coriander, bit of sweet cicely, mint.

mix up the leaves - loose leaf Lettuce, rocket, mustard. Add in some chives or garlic chives or rub the bowl with garlic so that the flavour isn't too much.

Use a few edible flowers - chives and nasturtium add flavour as well as looks, dahlia flower can act as a base like Lettuce.

[veggiechicken]

I forage around the garden - a leaf of this, a sprig of that.
All the usual stuff like lettuce and rocket with mizuna, mustard and other oriental leaves, some "spring" onions or 3 cornered leeks, pea shoots, hedge garlic, lovage, kale.............every salad is different.

[rary]

I have little gem and Lola Rosa lettuce, wild rocket, radish, chard and 2 pots which contain onion sets planted close together which I use as salad onions

[Thelma Sanders]

That said, my in laws introduced me to an Arabic /Mediterranean salad that consist of
Romaine lettuce, cucumber, spring onion, mint, tomatoes (shred and chop finely, as though you can eat with a spoon), and tossed with generous olive oil + lemon + salt to taste. Life changing.

That's my kind of salad - love it
I've got a few of each - Colour shades mixed lettuces, red Batavian lettuce, Paris cos, a mild variety of rocket plus some baby leeks.

[Small pumpkin]

Being from the North East of England I've grown up with a tradition that salad consists of a bit of torn up iceberg Lettuce, a bit of onion, halves of tomato, some Cucumber anf possibly a bit of radish or a boiled egg.

That sounds like my childhood salads. But you forgot the boiled new potatoes. I used to hate them. I still do actually.

I'm becoming more adventurous because I grow lots of different things that can and do go very nicely in a salad. Must admit I'm not the biggest salad fan. Best place for a salad is on a burger or in a kebab . And I really don't get the salad dressing thing. If I wanted to cover my food in oil I'd have a fry up . Again I'm starting to try different dressings now and again but they're not rocking my world.

[Small pumpkin]

I forgot to actually answer your question!
Lots of different lettuce about 8 varieties I think, lots of mixed cut & come again salad, 6 varieties of radish and radish for the seed pods, pea shoots, watercress, spring onions, carrots, rocket, lots of different micro herbs & greens, sweet pepper, cucumber, flowers. There's probably more but can't think of it at the moment.

[Bren In Pots]

A mix of lettuce, pea shoots, with baby chard and kale, spring onions, with cuc and toms when they're ready.
Spiralized courgette, carrot, onion with chick peas or beans, mint, whole grain mustard, olive oil and white wine vinegar.
Mooli is good grated and I do like adding sprouted seeds or lentils.
Really its what ever is in season and bulking it out with couscous and pickles.

[Scarlet]

I like a mix too...I just have what's ready from :
A lettuce leaf mix, mustards, lemon basil, basil, garlic chives, welsh onion, red veined sorrel, parsley and Mexican tree spinach is what's around this week.

[SarrissUK]

I grow much the same as everyone else on this thread. I do have some lettuce outside, but once all my indoor beans have gone outside, I'll have a whole bookshelf of lettuce of various kinds at the back of my kitchen, by the garden sliding door. It's so much easier to grow it inside - no need to wash, no pests (at least not yet) - just pick and eat. At the moment I have two trays of pick and come again salads in shallow large trays. Soon going to add many more.
The mint salad described above sounds like my favourite salad - tabbouleh. I haven't got enough mint to cover my tabbouleh needs, so I use mint sauce too haha

[bramble]

The same as most of the above.....growing outdoors
Mixed salad leaves, spring onions, radishes , rocket, garlic chives, parsley,
I always add sweetcorn, make our own coleslaw with red cabbage and carrots, grated cheese and salad potatoes.

[mcdood]

At the moment I'm using loose leaf lettuce, Paris Cos, Spring onions, Mizuna and Rocket.
Once growing I'll add tomatoes and cucumbers, grated carrot, beetroot, grated courgette (with garlic) and grated kohlrabi. Always add balsamic vinegar and a chilli sauce over the top. Hoping to make it my own chilli sauce later this year.

[burnie]

I have 4 types of lettuce on the go with 2 types of radish(mooli not sown yet) and spring onion just now, most in the greenhouse. Not sure yet if I can eat lettuce post op to remove my gall bladder, but I prefer white cabbage and pak choi if I'm honest. I like to add stuff like watercress, mustard, dandelions, sweet cicely , garlic flowers and hairy bittercress that I forage as well.