Starting Salad Greens Indoors For Early Harvests

Many leafy greens such as arugula, mizuna and spinach grow well from seed. However, other salad plants like kale, southern mustard greens, and Swiss chard should be started from plant starts found at local nurseries or farmers markets.

Salad garden plants need regular and even watering; otherwise they become waterlogged and will dry out completely. Flooded or overwatered gardens should also be avoided for maximum success.

Lettuce

No matter if it is armloads of baby leaves or big crisp heads lettuce that you prefer, growing fresh salad greens requires only minimal planning and care. From seed or transplants, lettuce is fast growing crop that makes an easy spring or fall addition.

Even though some varieties can tolerate heat, most varieties of lettuces prefer cool weather and germinate more quickly when started indoors, making them an excellent option for fall/winter crops in areas where summer temperatures can become too intense for lettuce production.

Lettuce requires rich, well-draining soil that has an alkaline pH level (7.0 or higher). While it tolerates various temperatures conditions, cooler ones work best. Regular watering to ensure even distribution of moisture to roots and stems. Too much or too little can result in tough, bitter leaves as well as slow head development.

Seedlings planted from seeds or purchased as transplants should be spaced 3 to 4 inches apart in rows 2-6 inches apart, using a dibbler or trowel to dig holes for each transplant and lightly firm the soil before watering immediately post-planted and regularly thereafter to provide even moisture distribution across their leaves, while avoiding overhead irrigation that wets the leaves as this can encourage fungal diseases like powdery mildew, leaf spot and root rot.

Spinach

Spinach seeds thrive at temperatures between 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit (15-20 degrees Celsius). As such, spinach seedlings should germinate at temperatures of 60-68 F during the daytime and 50-55 F in the evening – this means it could potentially grow weeks prior to your last frost date and is one of the first crops you should sow in spring gardens.

Start by sowing seeds thinly in an empty bed. If your soil lacks nutrients, add some compost or manure for optimal germination rates. As soon as the weather warms up, spinach will sprout quickly; modular trays allow up to 20cm (8in).

When harvesting spinach, always take care to harvest its entire leaf rosette rather than only its outer leaves to avoid overharvesting as too many spinach leaves can become bitter if harvested too soon. When growing salad greens for sale, thin the plants to 7.5cm (3in). When harvesting Badger Savoy or Wisconsin Bloomsdale varieties from UW-Madison in the 1950s (Badger Savoy or Wisconsin Bloomsdale varieties respectively), thin even further to give smaller weaker plants room for seedlings remaining seedlings to thrive and ripen later on in time for harvest.

Shade cloth can help keep the soil cool while simultaneously cutting down on water consumption for plants. A floating row cover may help control insects as well as reduce mildew incidence – both issues common to spinach crops.

Arugula

Arugula thrives in cool conditions and grows quickly, making it an ideal crop to start indoors. Start seeds in shallow microgreens trays or seed starting soil before transplanting to small pots or ceramic self-watering planters as suggested by Mary Jane Duford of Home for the Harvest. Duford recommends covering containers with a light layer of compost mulch which helps ensure plants receive uniform moisture as they develop.

Arugula is resilient against most pests, but flea beetles may cause extensive damage and eating of its leaves. Row covers may help protect young plants, though these should be removed periodically so sunlight reaches all lower leaves.

Once planted in the ground, arugula requires regular thinning and light watering to avoid overheating, which could make its leaves bitter. Regular mulching also helps retain moisture and keep weeds at bay.

Arugula is an excellent source of calcium, potassium and folate and features powerful antioxidants and glucosinolates that can help combat inflammation and reduce chronic diseases. A staple in European, Moroccan and Turkish cuisines alike for centuries; even ancient Romans considered eating it an aphrodisiac!

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard, related to beets and spinach, is an edible cool season vegetable rich in vitamins and minerals – especially potassium and vitamin K. Enjoy Swiss chard salads and sandwiches; saute it to add flavor to rice noodles, pasta dishes, soups or omelets when the temperatures heat up; even better when used as an ideal summer spinach replacement when the temperatures heat up! Chard has a two year life cycle which gives you plenty of time to harvest its leafy goodness before it goes to seed!

Swiss chard plants are extremely hardy and will thrive once frost has subsided, when transplanted outdoors after frost danger has subsided. As with other greens, Swiss chard thrives best when given a sunny location with little care taken for soil type or condition; it would do best with adding some organic material such as compost, leafmold or nitrogen-rich chicken manure pellets to its planting hole for best results.

As soon as the soil is workable in spring, sow seeds directly or transplant young plants outdoors. Direct sowing allows light frost tolerance while transplanted young plants will continue to thrive through autumn if you use a cold frame.