encyclopedia of salad greens
The following detailed list of green vegetables gives the particulars for growing a lifetime’s worth of salads. For more detailed information on soil preparation, mulching, fertilizing, composting, and pests and diseases, see Appendixes A and B (pages 92-103). Many can be grown as baby greens and harvested in the cut-and-come-again method—and those I have so noted. See the Andrea Crawford interview (page 10) for more information on this method of growing and harvesting baby greens. Of course, most of these greens can also be cooked, but the “How to Prepare” instructions here focus on using them raw in salads.
There are many hundreds of salad greens. For this section I have chosen my favorites. The encyclopedia entries include the Latin plant names so that you can identify plants properly. Some of the species and varieties are quite popular and will be readily available, many, however, are only available through specialty mail-order houses. I have listed the seed companies that carry the largest selections of greens in the Resources section on page 104. You will need to obtain at least three or four catalogs to get the best selection of greens.
Amaranth ‘Sensation’
AMARANTH
Amamnthus hypochondriacus, A. tricolor
Amaranth leaves can be green, red, cream, or a combination of all three, depending on the variety. The young shoots and leaves are tender and mild enough to eat raw in salads. From the land of the Incas, this nutritious green has traveled a bit: in Africa and the Caribbean it is known as callaloo, and in China a leaf type called Chinese spinach is grown. Amaranth is one of the few salad greens that glories in warm weather. Young leaves from the leaf-type varieties can be used as a substitute for spinach.
How to grow: Start amaranth seedlings after all danger of frost has passed. Plant seeds ⅛ inch deep, 4 inches apart in full sun and in rich, well-drained soil, and keep the bed fairly moist. Thin the plants to 1 foot and mulch to preserve moisture and prevent weeds. Generally, amaranth seeds and seedlings grow with great enthusiasm. The leaf types grow to 2 feet, some of the showy varieties to 3 feet. If cucumber beetles or other chewing insects are a problem, protect the plants with floating (polyester) row covers. Harvest the tender leaves when they are quite young.
Varieties
‘Burgundy’: 105 days, spectacular reddish purple plants to 8 feet tall, grain type
‘Green Leaf Vegetable Amaranth’: 50 days, oval green leaves, 18 inches tall, leaf type, the best for salads
‘Joseph’s-Coat’: a tricolor variety (red, cream, and green leaves), spectacular plants, leaf type, great as a garnish
‘Merah’: 80 days, crinkled bicolored green-and-red leaves, leaf type
‘Puteh’: 80 days, light green leaves, 18 inches tall, mild flavor, leaf type
‘Red Leaf Vegetable Amaranth’: 50 days, bicolored green-and-red leaves, 18 inches tall, leaf type
How to prepare: Select young, tender leaves and use them raw in salads or as spectacular garnishes.
A leaf-type Oriental amaranth
Arugula grown as a cut-and-come-again crop.
ARUGULA
(rocket, roquette)
Eruca vesicaria (E. sativa, Arugula sativa)
RUSTIC ARUGULA
(wild arugula, rucola)
E. selvatica (Diplotaxis tenuifolia)
Arugula leaves are lobed, pungent, and nutty; they taste a bit like horseradish. The most common arugula is the domesticated one. However, there is another, usually called rustic arugula, that is perennial and has a more intense flavor.
How to grow: The standard arugula is grown in cool weather in early spring and again in the fall. The plants are short-lived; they get quite spicy and bolt in hot weather. Rustic arugula is a tender perennial that if started in spring and kept cut back, grows throughout the summer and fall and will winter over in mild-winter areas. Common arugula is planted in the fall for a winter harvest in these same mild climates. Broadcast seeds of both types over rich soil in a sunny area of the garden and lightly cover the seeds with soil, or plant them in flats and transplant the seedlings out into the garden. In the fall in cold climates, plant common arugula in a cold frame or greenhouse for winter salads. For succulent growth, keep arugula well watered and fertilize lightly. Both arugulas have few pest and disease problems. Harvest individual leaves or cut back the plant and leave a few inches of growth for a cut-and-come-again crop. Common arugula comes back more quickly than rustic does. Arugula flowers attract beneficial insects, so I usually keep some going for much of the spring. If allowed to go to seed, both arugulas reseed readily in your garden.
Varieties
Arugula: 40 days, lobed green leaves, plants grow to 1 foot tall, white flowers
Wild rustic arugula (Italian wild arugula, ‘Sylvetta’): 55 days, finely cut leaves, plants grow to 8 inches, yellow flowers
How to prepare: When they’re only 2 or 3 inches tall and very mild, arugula leaves can be used in fairly large amounts to add a peppery and nutty flavor to a salad. Combine them with other assertive greens, especially the fall and winter ones such as cresses, mustards, or chicories, and complement them with strong cheeses, meats, and fruits. Later, as the leaves become much more pungent, use arugula as an herb in a mixed salad, dressing, or main course. Good companions are anchovies, duck breast, chicken livers, capers, olives, and fruity olive oils—in other words think “gusto.” Long after the leaves become too strong, the flowers are great in salads or as a garnish.
CABBAGE and CHINESE CABBAGE
Brassica oleracea, var. capitata, and B. rapa, var. Pekinensis
I find the cabbages to be quite splendid in all their variety. The puckery Savoy types with their handsome crinkled leaves and rich texture are real eye-catchers, as are the red and purple ball-like smooth cabbages. Then there are the Chinese cabbages, which are tall and stately and have a milder flavor and a more tender leaf than their cousins. The ornamental cabbages, which look like giant reclining peonies, are spectacular: their foliage is crinkled and comes in shades from pink to purple.
How to grow: Cabbages are best grown as cool-season annuals and will bolt and go to seed in extremely hot weather. In cold climates cabbage is started in early spring or early summer, depending on the variety. In the South and warm-winter parts of the West, it is started in late winter or midsummer. The colorful flowering cabbages prefer a frost or cool
