Growing your own salad greens isn't rocket science.
Mesclun can be grown from seed sown straight into the garden or a container. Containers can be convenient as they make it easier to tell the growing mesclun from the weeds. Mesclun grows best during spring and autumn. Sow seeds in small amounts at fortnightly intervals. Seeds should be sown sparingly about 2cm apart. Keep the bed moist but not drenched.
Start picking the leaves after four to six weeks while they're tender and succulent. Many varieties will grow back for additional harvests.
Identifying the edibles
You might get weeds from wind-blown seeds in your mesclun patch so you need to know what to look for. Our photos will help you identify the edibles. As with all fresh fruit and vegetables, wash your garden greens before use.
Chicory (below) is crunchy and has a slightly bitter taste. There are green and red varieties:
Corn salad has a mild nutty flavour and a soft texture:
Rocket has a peppery tangy flavour:
Pink-stemmed endive adds colour and taste:
Salad bowl lettuce is mild and succulent:
Curled endive is delicate and subtly bitter:
Loose-leaf lettuces add variety to salad greens:
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