Gardening 101: Harvesting & Storing Salad Greens
I’ve been a hobby gardener since my son was a toddler. Each spring the Easter Bunny would drop off the usual basket of candy and trinkets along with a few plants to grow in the garden. Our lot is not large so we’ve relied on container gardening using Tarter stock tanks with relative success. (They save your back too since you don’t have to bend down low.) The past few months have been a real change of pace, slowing down and focusing on simple goals that will provide a big impact. Growing more of our food will allow us to be self reliant and with social distancing measures still in place, I like the idea of visiting the grocery store less.
One crop that we had great success with this spring was mixed greens. In fact I am still harvesting it! Lettuce blends are fast growing and very tender which makes for a delicious salad. Greens grow best in cool weather so seeds should be planted in early spring or grown in the fall. If it becomes too hot or you don’t harvest timely the plant will bolt (go to seed), producing a large flowering stalk. Clip when you can and make sure to stay on top of watering (early or late in the day, never during peak sun, as it can scorch and damage your plants). Some of my lettuce has started to bolt and I will eventually collect the seeds to store for next season. More on that topic later!
When your greens are ready to harvest you want to head outside early in the morning, no later than 9:30AM. The lettuce will still be moist and crisp. (The sun tends to dry out your greens if you go later in the day.) Grab a basket or container to hold your harvest along with a pair of kitchen shears or scissors. Salad mix should be clipped when they are anywhere between 3-6 inches long. With your kitchen shears clip off the green leaves, but make sure to leave about an inch of the plant behind because it will continue to grow back within one or two weeks. Place your clippings in the basket, working quickly so the greens don’t start wilting.
Once you have completed clipping, you will need to wash your greens. This process is what works for me and my lettuce will last for many days. I highly recommend using a salad spinner because it makes the process a lot easier.
Washing Salad Greens:
Once the lettuce is clipped, bring inside and place into a large colander. Rinse the greens under cold water to remove any dirt/debris. I then place the greens in a large bowl filled with cool water and about a capful of vinegar to kill any bacteria from the soil. I let the lettuce soak for about ten minutes.
Dump the lettuce back into the colander and rinse again with cold water. Place the greens into your salad spinner and spin until mostly dry. You want the mixed greens to be as dry as possible.
Finally I lay out a clean kitchen towel and lay all the lettuce out on a single layer and gently blot with a paper towel to remove any excess water that may remain on the leaves. I let them sit on the towel for another ten minutes to completely dry.
To store place a dry paper towel into a gallon sized ziplock storage bag and finally add your lettuce. You don’t have to seal the bag. I just shut it slightly on the sides, keeping the middle open and store in the fridge.
This method keeps the lettuce fresh for several days instead of becoming sad and wilted. Since we have a surplus of greens right now we have been enjoying many salads as the base of our lunches. It feels good to back off the easy processed foods and really rely on what's right in front of us. This opportunity has allowed more creativity in the kitchen and plenty of nutritious meals for my family. A total win since we are looking to improve our health and immunity.
Do you have a garden? If so, what are you growing this year?
Be well, xo