salad leaves,beetroot leaves

[goddess]

sowed some beetroot seeds about 2 weeks ago in a shallow seed tray mainly to harvest their leaves for salad.they have come through and now moved from windowsill to unheated greenhouse. it looks like its gonna be another month or so to pick any leaves as they look weak (or may be thats how they look like as never grown them before).what are other grapes picking for salad leaves at present?can any one recommend any fast growing varieties as running out of patience here ?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi goddess - I sowed a little trough on the windowsill with lettuce/radish/beet/spinach/turnip 6 weeks ago and started eating the leaves (as I'm too impatient - they were only little!) last week.

If you want something really quick, put a few peas in a pot, they'll sprout within days and you can nip off the tops and add to salads when they are arbout 6" high - they'll regrow - I was eating mine within 3-4 wks.

[serenity]

a mixed salad seed collection, mustards, mizuna and similar. The first sowing is now ready to start cutting and along with the pea shoots should make a tasty salad. I have also sowed bulls blood beetroot for leaves and they took a while to show.

personally I think radish are rather too pungent to eat in a salad and if too large some of the leaves are rather spikey

[Hazel at the Hill]

When did you sow yours, Serenity?

personally I think radish are rather too pungent to eat in a salad and if too large some of the leaves are rather spikey

I'm growing them for the leaves - picking them when the leaves are about 1-2"

[serenity]

am only growing radish for the root this year but did try the leaves last year and they were really not my cup of tea. I think there are 2 types of leaves. maybe the spikey ones are the latter leaves

[goddess]

Where did you get bull's blood seeds from serenity as i can't find any in catalouges?hazel ,i do have three pots (empty ice cream containers) with pea shoots on window sill but iam greedy as i am after more!!i have a little container of mizuna in un heated grennhouse which is delicious and will definetly grow alot more of it next autumn.g

[serenity]

T&M. I think it was in the salad section rather than beetroot. I think sarah raven may stock them too

[goddess]

Thanks alot.i bought seeds from sarah raven last year but pumpkin was a mixture rather than what i wanted.i also think that she charges more than everyone else.g

[Alice]

Hello Goddess, we're still in March and I think you'll have to accept there's a limit to how much we can get from the windowsill. I've got mixed leaves,rocket, red cabbage and pea shoots, and from outside, some spring onions.More of a garnish than a meal. Kimbo has some Pak Choi doing well (see posts).
Maybe other grapes are producing something else ready to eat from the windowsill now. Would love to hear.

[goddess]

Hi Alice,leaves taste so much better when home grown.i sometimes add few leaves to jazz up the salad .but can't help thinking that everyone else is picking lots of produce(i know we are still in march)by the way i have wild rocket in greenhouse aswell but its running out of steam now.g

[Hazel at the Hill]

Ha ha! I am as impatient as you, goddess! Every time I prepare a meal I chant the mantra 'next time ONIONS I will have grown YOU', 'next time POTATOES I will have grown YOU'.....etc.etc.......

There are grapes who are merrily picking as we speak (jealousy alert for new grapes like you and me!!) - PW has fresh carrots and spring onion on the go, some grapes have leeks and some brassica still going ....this spurs me on to next year when THAT WILL BE ME!

[goddess]

Absolutely hazel,i thnk it's jeolousy too.Pw blog with his carrots and spring onions is inspiring.i only have a tiny plot but hope to grow as much as i can.my three kids are munching the pea shoots as they grow ,its so nice to see them eating fresh greens.g

[serenity]

I agree with you goddess, sarah raven's seeds do seem more expensive that some. I have bought seeds from her before because she has so many lovely varieties, sorely tempted by the crimson broad bean and the purple podded pea......

[shirlthegirl43]

I agree with you goddess, sarah raven's seeds do seem more expensive that some. I have bought seeds from her before because she has so many lovely varieties, sorely tempted by the crimson broad bean and the purple podded pea......

I fancy those purple peas too - want to go shares on a packet? I suppose you can keep some and dry them for seed for next year?

[serenity]

go on then shirl, will put an order in today and let you know when they arrive