What Types Of Greens To Grow In Your Salad Bowl

Wondering what types of greens you can grow in your salad bowl? You can grow just about any type of lettuce.  Be aware that there are some varieties that lend themselves to ongoing growing and harvesting. The size of your bowl and how many bowls you want to have sitting around determine what type and how much lettuce you can grow. You can also turn that around and figure out how much lettuce you want per week, and then figure out how many bowls it will take to keep you from having to food shop.

If you like to keep it simple, start with one planting bowl. See how you like growing your own lettuce on your kitchen counter or your patio. If you find you’re eating the green leaves as fast as they can grow, consider adding another bowl or two.

Ready to begin?

Let’s go back to what you can grow in fairly small containers indoors. Loose leaf lettuce is often your best bet when you want to be able to continually harvest greens for your salads. You can pick up seedlings at your local garden center and plant a few different varieties in your bowl. Or pick up a few different packs of seeds, divide the bowl into sections and sprinkle seeds from each variety in a different area of the bowl. Not only will using different varieties make it look pretty, each plant grows at slightly different rates and has different nutrients, helping you make the most out of your salad bowl.

Of course you’re not limited to just loose leaf lettuce. You can also grow spinach, green onions and various herbs in containers inside. Have Fun with this! Mix and match them in your bowls, or set up separate little containers to grow your favorite salad herbs in. If you have enough room, you can even grow another favorite vegetable to cut up and add to your salad.

To Finish

Start with a few different varieties of loose leaf lettuce like oak leaf, butter oak, red sails, or the aptly named red salad bowl. Romaine lettuces also work well and will regrow after you cut the leaves. If you like a slightly peppery taste, don’t forget about arugula.

Mix and match varieties until you find a combination that grows well for you, and that you enjoy eating. Water your plants, fertilize occasionally with an organic fertilizer and refresh the soil every few months. If you harvest and replant on an ongoing basis, you may never run out of fresh lettuce for your kitchen table.  Remember, it’s easy, fun and healthy.

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This is the 4th in our series about Salad Bowl Gardening. If you haven’t read this, here is another article on indoor growing.