Spice up Your Salads

A fresh garden salad can include more than the same old greens, like lettuce and spinach. Try growing unusual greens that are both healthy and flavorful. These less-familiar greens are just as easy to grow as lettuce, making them a perfect choice for your home garden.

A fresh garden salad can include more than the same old greens, like lettuce and spinach. Try growing unusual greens that are both healthy and flavorful. These less-familiar greens are just as easy to grow as lettuce, making them a perfect choice for your home garden.

Take a look at these different greens that can take your salad from mundane to memorable:

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• Mustard Greens: A cool-weather crop with a spicy pungent flavor. Harvest when young.

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• Arugula: A trendy green, popular at upscale restaurants and supermarkets. Grow it at home and save a few dollars.

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• Radicchio: The red and white leaves add color, texture and a tangy flavor.

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• Swiss Chard: A nice alternative to beet greens. Swiss Chard has a long growing season. Small leaves are most tender for salads.

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• Sorrel: These sword-shaped leaves add a citrusy bite.

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• Claytonia: Also known as miner’s lettuce, these heart-shaped greens are high in vitamin C.

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• Purslane: Young shoots have a crunchy texture and peppery flavor.

Most greens follow the same growing schedule as lettuce, preferring cooler temperatures. This spring, add some unique salad greens to your vegetable garden for a distinctive and delicious salad!

Learn what to grow in your garden for a healthier diet >>