How to Grow Leafy Greens and Lettuce?

Growing your own honest leafy greens in the garden or in a growbox when summer arrives has plenty of advantages for every grower. Growing leafy greens is not at all difficult and takes less time than growing agricultural crops. It is therefore an ideal way to try uncomplicated gardening in practice for the first time and immediately benefit from it, whether on the plate, or rather in the salad bowl, or later in the form of health benefits. In short, it is high time to remind ourselves not only of the reasons, but also of the basic prerequisites for a successful harvest of leafy greens. Read on to find out how to easily grow a juicy vitamin bomb this year.

What are the specifics of growing leafy greens?

• Leafy greens in general, because this term covers a great many species, of which we will name at least the healthiest a little further below, represent a rich natural cocktail for the human body, packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It would therefore be a shame not to use quality organic fertilisers, which will help you achieve a fresh harvest in harmony with nature and with regard for the environment. The result is a purely natural composition without a trace of chemicals and an intense, authentic flavour. Are you interested in the best biological fertilisers? Try, for example, the 100% natural fertilisers from BIOCANNA. There is no single definitive answer to this question, but the following articles will certainly give you a good starting point:
• BioNova Veganics – fertilisers not only for vegans
• Organics Nutrients - a natural way to high yields

Our TIP: Value sets for the first harvest are the best way to get to know plant nutrition from a specific manufacturer during one growing cycle. Here are a few examples:

• BioCanna Starter Kit
• BioNova Hobby pack Veganics
• Organics Nutrients Starter Kit
• BioBizz Starters Pack

• Given that in the vast majority of cases only the leaves are harvested, you will save a great deal of time as a grower, because unlike other types, leafy greens do not require you to wait for the fruits to ripen.
• Leafy greens need regular, nourishing watering, directed away from the leaves themselves and the hearts. A generous watering means water in which quality fertilisers have been dissolved in sufficient concentration. Not too much water. Water leafy greens more often, but with smaller amounts of water. In addition to regular watering and sufficiently fertilised soil, leafy greens place no other special demands on the grower, which is why we indicated right at the beginning of this article that it is a great opportunity to start growing. Leafy greens are made for beginners!
• Thanks to the short growing cycle, you do not even need a greenhouse. Leafy greens prefer cooler air. Some species can even be grown year-round. If possible, plant leafy greens in partial shade and avoid soil that is too acidic. If you want to be sure, you can use tools for measuring pH.
• The edible part of leafy greens is the leaves, or sometimes the stems, which are most often eaten raw. In this form they contain the most beneficial substances, which brings us back again to the importance of a harvest in BIO quality.
• All types of leafy greens are characterised by a very low calorie content, which is why they are often the basis of a weight-loss diet, for example in the form of fresh salads.
• To avoid making it sound too rosy for beginner growers, leafy greens grown outdoor, that is, outside under the open sky, often face invasions of all kinds of pests. To stop slugs, for example, from nibbling the leaves before you do, we recommend the proven natural pest spray Canna CURE. You can also read a separate article: How do you deal with pests?

• Effective bio protection against pests and diseases is certainly in order. It is not only about pests. It will also help you prevent fungal diseases, which most often attack plant leaves. As part of prevention, in addition to suitable preparations, sufficient spacing between individual plants in the bed is also important. 
• As we have already explained, leafy greens have the advantage that you do not have to wait for the fruits to ripen.  Therefore, it is not too late to plant them even in summer. Seedling germination and cutting rooting will be made easier by propagators, a plastic greenhouse and also a propagation substrate, designed directly for successful sowing and cutting propagation. When planting leafy greens, the most important thing is that the hearts of the plants are above soil level.

• If you do not yet have any experience with growing leafy greens, do not forget that they ripen quickly and are difficult to store. Therefore, plan your planting of leafy greens sensibly.

Now let us summarise the specifics of growing leafy greens once more, briefly:

• A significantly shorter growing period, which can be up to half as long as with other types of vegetables.
• The need for plants to take in enough nutrients through regular watering, i.e. rather more often, but in smaller doses. Unlike growing tomatoes, peppers or cucumbers, we must take into account a weaker root system, as a result of which leafy greens are unable to obtain all the necessary nutrients from their surroundings. The root system can also be strengthened by a 100% organic root stimulator such as BioBizz Root Juice.

Are you interested in the healthiest types of leafy greens suitable for growing in the garden? There are many of them. For inspiration, we have selected at least a few of the most popular:

• Spinach: Contains vitamins K and A. It also contains folate - the natural form of vitamin B9, important for proper blood clotting. Its high potassium content and low sodium content help regulate blood pressure. Spinach is also a popular vegan and vegetarian source of calcium.

• Kale: It contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to such an extent that it is considered one of the most nutritionally valuable plants on the planet.

• Garden parsley, leaf type (parsley): A plant related to root parsley, with leaves full of vitamins A, B, C and E, iron, magnesium and potassium. The essential oils contained in its leaves are characterised by strong detoxifying effects. 

• Head lettuce: An annual or biennial plant forming typical heads consisting of green, reddish or dark red leaves. Much depends on the specific variety here. This superfood appreciates a sunny spot. In return, it rewards you with a high content of antioxidants, vitamins (C, E, B1, B2) and carotene. The nutritional profile of head lettuce also includes important minerals such as calcium, magnesium or iron. Head lettuce reduces fatigue, supports digestion and is considered part of the natural prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

• Iceberg lettuces: You will also be able to enjoy this delicacy thanks to your own harvest in BIO quality and you will not have to rely on supermarket shelves. The variety “Zeus” can be grown without any problem even in summer, and in addition to high yields it will also pleasantly surprise you with its fresh flavour! The variety “Pražan” is also very current and is also commonly grown especially in summer. Despite the name, in Bohemia and Moravia. Its distinguishing feature is large heads.
• Leaf lettuces: This type of lettuce is also nicknamed cut-and-come-again. That is because harvesting takes place continuously. Mature leaves are broken off and more grow in the meantime. For example, the variety “Dubáček” can be grown without any problem even in summer, practically from spring to autumn. 

There is no doubt that regular consumption of leafy greens supports physical and mental health. It is advisable to alternate the individual types, as each offers a slightly different composition in terms of nutritional value. However, all of them contain folic acid. The folates we mentioned in connection with spinach also have a positive effect on brain function.

If you have any questions about growing leafy greens, please do not hesitate to direct them to the well-known address info@higarden.eu.

We also recommend these products:

• Airtight TightVac containers 
• PLAGRON Seedbooster 
• Agro Perlite 

What to read next:

• How do you grow microgreens?
• How do you grow outdoor?
• How do you grow cacti and succulents?