We’ve had a cool spring and a good amount of rain so this year the salad greens are phenomenal. And I don’t just mean lettuce (although I love the choices we have)… no ho hum salads around here. If you grow some of these greens–and it’s not to late to plant them–every salad will be a chef’s delight.

It is difficult to choose which lettuce or salad blends to plant because we have a plethora of choices to choose from. I like romaine, butterhead and leaf lettuces and I enjoy them in every color from lime green to dark leafy green and red, pink or speckled. It is fun to grow a variety of colors which appeals to the eye, not to mention texture and taste. Fortunately, my gardening friend Deborah Hall, loves salad as much as I do and shared all of her seedlings with me, so I am salad rich.

Aside from the lettuces, there are chicories, mustards, mizuna, arugula, tatsoi, baby beet greens and chard leaves. And of course salad herbs like parsley, cilantro, chervil, dill, fennel, and sorrel–I grow them right alongside the other greens in the salad bed–so I can cut a handful to add to the greens when I’m harvesting. These salad herbs and greens add wonderful dimensions to a salad from tart and bitter to spicy and pungent or herbal.

Before dinner, I head ouside with my favorite garden scissors and the bowl of my salad spinner and clip the leaves right into the bowl. With all of the rain the greens have been pretty dirty. When I bring the bowl of greens into the kitchen, I put it right into the sink and fill it with cold water and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of vinegar. The vinegar causes the grit to fall right to the bottom. After I swish the greens about a bit, I sort through the greens, removing any brown or bug-eaten leaves, putting the washed salad into the spinner basket. When all of the salad is picked over, I am left with a bowl full of gritty water, which I carry outside or into the greenhouse and water plants with it. Then I rinse out the bowl and either give the greens one more washing if they were really gritty, or spin the salad dry. Dump out any water and spin again.

Often I make a simple vinaigrette and serve it over the greens without adding other ingredients. Other nights, I might choose to add adornments–like last night I added roasted golden beet slices, salted pistachios and a little grated Asiago cheese–and dressed it with a balsamic vinaigrette. 

I’m including pix of my salad bed and some of my favorite salad greens which you might like to try; it’s not too late in the season–most of these plants are ready to start harvesting in about 30 days!

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

Ho-Mi Digger - Korean Triangle Blade

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Versatile Tool: The Easy Digger Korean Triangle Blade Ho Mi Ho-mi is a versatile gardening tool designed for leveling and digging in home and garden settings. Efficient Design: Its unique triangular blade shape allows for easy soil penetration and efficient leveling of garden beds or landscaping areas. Durable Construction: Crafted with sturdy materials, this tool ensures long-lasting performance and reliability. Ergonomic Handle: The comfortable handle provides a secure grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. Compact Size: Its compact design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces and store when not in use.

Buy at Amazon

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon