Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

When should I plant my salad leaves

EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
in Fruit & veg
Last summer I built a small raised box (currently uncovered) for growing salad leaves, chives and garlic. I want to plant more salad leaves asap, but most say it's too early.

Taking the current weather forecasts (we are in Knowsley, Merseyside) into consideration when do you recommend I plant my seeds?

Thanks for your help.

When should I plant my salad leaves 4 votes

Beginning of March (now)
50%
Guernsey Donkey2Suesyn 2 votes
Mid March
25%
Plashing 1 vote
Beginning of April
0%
Mid April
0%
Beginning of May
25%
Kili 1 vote
Mid May
0%
Beginning of June
0%
Mid June
0%

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Here in Essex I start sowing lettuce (little gem & amaze) from early/mid March onward (depending on temperature) in little pots - I only grow a few at a time and sow a few seeds every 2-3 weeks throughout the season.
    I germinate them in a propagator then leave them in a cold greenhouse then transferred to cold frame then planted out.
    By late April I sow direct outside

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Not exactly salad, but bok choi is good now.
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    Fire said:
    Not exactly salad, but bok choi is good now.
    Oh that's great to know, thank you. I love that in stir frys and soups! I'll get some seeds ASAP.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Have a read around which ones to choose. plant in polytunnel or green house.
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    Fire said:
    Have a read around which ones to choose. plant in polytunnel or green house.
    Ah Ok thanks for the advice. Our two small greenhouses are full of Lupins right now unfortunately, so for the moment the raised box is the only option. Also, I'm afraid of certain critters getting into my greenhouses, so I built the raised box in such a way as they can't get up there. I had a cover on it to make it more like a greenhouse, but that was blown off and destroyed in bad weather a few weeks ago. I'll make another cover whenever this bad spell of weather blows over.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Might cloches work?
  • SkylarksSkylarks Posts: 379
    The back of my rocket seeds say the can be planted outdoors from March. Not that I’ve got round to it yet. Rocket leaves do prefer cooler weather and don’t seem to do well when it’s too hot - or it could be that I didn’t water them enough during last year’s hot spell.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I do as @Pete.8 does, but a bit later on. 
    Start on windowsills, for an earlier crop, and sow every few weeks. By May I can sow outdoors, but mine are all in pots, and I do a cut and come again operation. I sometimes plant out individual lettuce though, as I like the frilly red ones and they're quite ornamental.
    Chard can be grown quite early on, and you can use the leaves like a lettuce. 
    I grow wild rocket, which survives all winter here, and grows in full sun or in shade. It's a bit stronger than the other kinds so not everyone will like it. I would sow that at the same time as lettuce.
    I use it as an ornamental in borders too, as it flowers forever and the bees etc love it.  :)

    @theericrob- like most plants, it depends what you grow, and what your conditions are like. It also depends how much effort and how much space you have. It's always worth experimenting a little and seeing what works. March could be early enough in warmer areas, especially if your plot is sheltered and/or more urban. If not, you need extra heat with a propagator or similar, and then you have to judge when it's suitable for putting anything outside.
    Where I am, it's necessary to wait a little to avoid disappointment  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    Lots of great ideas, thank you all. We decided to fill up the box with Pak Choi seeds we got from Wilko for £1 (other seed suppliers are available) and some spring onion seeds I forgot we had. They should grow pretty fast and be ready for harvest in 4-8 weeks if we're lucky. Then we can replace some with salad leaves like the rocket we grew last summer.
Sign In or Register to comment.