There’s no easier, healthier way to liven up your cheese sandwich or meat and two veg than with a home grown salad on the side. All you need to do is stroll into your garden, pick some fresh rocket, lettuce leafs or spinach and a selection of fresh herbs, toss them in a bowl and slather them in olive oil or your favourite dressing. Easy peasy. Of course the question isn't how to harvest your salad, but how to grow vegetables.

Lettuce
Don’t worry, salad leaves are quick and easy to grow. If you start sowing outside every three weeks from April onwards, you will have fresh salad throughout summer and autumn. For the best results, keep the soil moist but don’t drown your plants.

There are myriad of lettuce varieties that are very suitable for growing in your own garden. If you fancy cos types, you’ll want to look for Little Gem seeds or Winter Density. You might prefer crispy Iceberg lettuce or the softer bite of Buttercrunch. Loose leaf varieties such as Lollo Rosso and Bergamo are ideal for a cut-and-come-again garden. Remember that different types of lettuce require different methods of harvesting. The best way to harvest headed lettuce is with a knife when the crop is big enough. If you’ve got a loose leaf lettuce, you can trim the outer leaves with scissors. The advantage is that your plant will keep producing new leaves.

The most important thing is that you have a bright and sunny spot. Light shade is alright, but the sunnier the better. If you’ve got a terrace or balcony, just put down some grow bags or planter and follow the instructions on the packaging.

Those who actually have a suitable patch of soil will have to fork some compost into the surface before hoeing, raking and scattering the seeds. If you’re planting your seeds in your garden, you can make it easier for yourself to distinguish the seedlings from fresh weeds by planting your seeds in straight lines. Create shallow grooves and water these before sowing the seeds thinly in the deepest point. If your soil isn’t very rich, it’s a good idea to cover the seeds with a layer of compost instead of soil. Depending on your garden soil, it might also be a good idea to feed your plants once or twice a month.

Herbs
All you need to grow your own herbs is a window box. If your kitchen window is on the sunny side of the house, it’s ideal for chives, thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage. Containers in partial shade are more suitable for wild rocket, mustard leaves, parsley, chervil and basil.

Many herbs don’t grow well in peat, so it’s best to opt for soil-based compost. This will also help you keep the containers moist. During the summer, it’s important to water every morning so that your herbs can afford to ‘sweat’ if they’re getting too hot in the sun. If you’ve got basil, try not to snap the stems but pick leaves from the most congested areas so that you’re making more room for the remaining leaves.

Picture kindly from here