Here Is How To Grow A JAR SALAD Easily.
Want to grow your own salad?
It is true that it is better to avoid supermarket salads, especially those in bags!
Fortunately, salad is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in pots.
We harvest fresh, crunchy and organic leaves in just a few days.
Very useful when you don't have a vegetable garden, live in an apartment or just have a balcony!
In addition, the salad produces leaves continuously. Which means you'll have it every day of the year!
Lettuce is rich in water, fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.
It is therefore perfect for those who have problems with intestinal transit, and also contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous system.
If you sow it from seed, you will start to reap lettuce in 8 weeks for most varieties.
But I advise you to buy it as a plant and transplant it into a pot. In a few days, the first leaves will appear.
here is how to grow salad in a pot easily even for those new to gardening. Look :
1. Choose the right type of pot
Almost all varieties of salad grow well in a container.
Since their roots are shallow, they don't need much depth.
In fact, they grow even better in wide and shallow containers.
It is enough that the pot is drained thanks to holes to evacuate the water and that it be less 15 cm of depth.
You can use any material for the pots, such as plastic, clay, or terracotta pots.
My advice: if you are growing lettuce in a pot in a hot climate, choose clay pots and plant heat-resistant varieties.
2. Plant your salad at the right time
Lettuce prefers temperate climates and a semi-shaded location.
It can therefore be grown from spring to fall in most areas.
Do not hesitate to protect it from frost or put your pot in a small greenhouse.
If you live in a warm area, you can also grow it in the winter.
The salad is grown from seeds or seedlings. You can also buy young shoots from a local grower.
To benefit from a continuous harvest, make successive sowings: every 2 weeks during the growing season.
As they will grow staggered, you will always have salad to eat.
In the summer, if it's too hot, put her in a cool, shaded place so you can continue growing her.
3. Space the salads well
If you are growing lettuce in a pot, your best bet is to cut off the leaves you need as you go.
In short, you let it grow, and you cut when you need to.
This way, you don't really need to worry about the space between salads.
If you are sowing seeds, sow densely and then thin the seedlings as they grow by regularly picking the tender young leaves.
Keep a space of 10 to 15 cm between the plants.
Be careful, head lettuce requires more space and a 20 cm deep pot.
4. Choose the right location
Lettuce loves sunlight and even more so when it grows in a cool climate.
But be aware that it also grows very easily in a partially shaded place.
If you are growing salad in a hot climate where the sun is strong, it is best to place your pot in the sun only in the morning.
During the hottest hours of the day, it is therefore recommended to create shade to prevent the soil from getting too dry.
Indeed, lettuce prefers to have a slightly moist soil at all times.
So don't hesitate to move the pot to a cool place when the temperature rises too high.
Otherwise you risk toasting your plant ...
5. Choose the right soil
To grow a good salad, use a mixture of good quality soil with lots of organic matter.
Compost and peat are great for salad.
You can also add a little manure or well-rotted compost.
The soil should be clayey and well drained so as not to retain too much water.
6. Water regularly
In a shallow pot, baste your salad frequently.
Why ? Because this prevents the plant from drying out completely.
Be sure to keep the soil slightly moist, but without overwatering.
This is because watering your salad too often can lead to root rot.
7. Choose the right strain
The varieties of salads are numerous, so which one to choose when you arrive at the garden center?
If you are growing them in a container, choose salads with low development to prevent them from taking up too much space.
Blond oak leaf, batavia "lattughino" or lettuce "Tom Pouce" are good choices.
If you eat a lot of salad, go for fast growing salads like arugula, "queen of ice cream" or chopped lettuce "Grand Rapids".
There are also salads with pretty red colors such as "Grenoble red" or "Merlot" lettuce.
My advice: mix all these varieties to have pretty colorful pots and treat yourself with different tastes.
8. Put a little natural fertilizer
Since salads grow and harvest quickly, just add a little fertilizer to boost production.
Before fertilizing, wait a few weeks until the seedlings are well rooted.
What type of fertilizer to choose? Obviously, avoid buying chemical fertilizers!
Salads don't need this to grow.
So the best is to choose from one of these 5 natural fertilizers here.
9. Protect the salad from disease
Some parasites will very quickly spot your salad in a jar to enjoy it!
It is therefore important to carry out a small monitoring regularly.
However, if the plants do not mold and stay healthy, there is much less chance of disease developing.
Note that mildew, leaf spot, mold are the most common in lettuce.
From the point of view of pests, caterpillars, cutworms, aphids, maggots and beetles are the main enemies of salad.
To discover : The Natural Insecticide All Gardeners Should Know.
10. Harvest your salad
Once the leaves have reached a height of 10 to 15 cm, pluck the outer leaves one by one.
Or cut the leaves 2-3 cm above the base or crown.
On the other hand, it is very important not to cut under the crown, otherwise your salad may die ...
By using this harvesting method, your salad grows endlessly and you will be able to harvest it all season long.
You can also pick the lettuce leaves before they ripen.
It's simple, just remove the outer leaves when you need them and let the middle leaves grow.
Your turn...
Have you tried these tips for growing beautiful salads in a jar? Tell us in the comments if it worked for you. We can't wait to hear from you!
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Also to discover:
The 20 Easiest Vegetables to Grow IN A POT.
41 Fruits And Vegetables That Grow EVEN in the Shade.
