Grow Your Own Chopped Salad Bar

After a long winter, nothing makes a better lunch than a chopped salad, the fresher the better. Ingredients are fairly easy to grow, and you can’t beat the satisfaction of walking outside and cutting what you want to eat for the day. An edibles garden has the added benefit of helping you keep those healthy eating resolutions, too. You don’t have to limit it to just lettuce —chives, spinach, bok choy, arugula, mustard greens, kale, parsley, mint, cilantro, scallions, radishes, English peas and strawberries are all easy to grow and will ensure your salad never gets boring. Many find the prospect of starting from seeds intimidating, but don’t fret. You can grow an abundance of low maintenance veggies from seed or, if you prefer, you also can easily use young plants to get started.

Sow spring salad greens in containers, raised beds or prepared in-ground beds and follow the spacing parameters outlined on the package. The seeds will germinate within five to seven days and the first crop will be ready to harvest in about 30 days. Spring crops need about six hours of direct sunlight a day to thrive. Water regularly and make sure your containers have good drainage. Unsure about the quality of your soil? Err on the side of caution—don’t forget to fertilize. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package for best results. Because lettuce needs nitrogen to grow tender, new leaves quickly, side dress plants regularly with nitrogen-rich amendments like cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal or kelp meal.

[edible flowers]
Don’t forget the flowers! You’ll be surprised by the number of edible pretties out there—they beautify your plate and add interest.

Viola
These flowers taste sweet, almost like nectar. Garnish desserts with their petals. I like the contrast of these blooms on white frosting.

Borage
Flowers appear in shades of pink and lavender and taste similar to cucumber. Add to drinks, salads and dips.

Nasturtium
Add to a salad for a peppery kick.

Rose
Sugar these pretty petals and add them to desserts. Dry them and add to granola or scatter on top of muffins for a sweet, slightly floral flavor.

Dandelion
The much-maligned dandelion has a sweet, honey-like flavor. Fry them, add them to cookies or infuse drinks with the blooms.

Dianthus
These blooms pack a sweet, clove-like flavor. Use them to infuse drinks or add to baked goods.

[P. Allen Smith is an award-winning designer, gardening and lifestyle expert and host of two public television programs, Garden Home and Garden to Table, and the syndicated 30-minute show P. Allen Smith’s Garden Style. Learn more at pallensmith.com.]