Grow fresh organic salad greens in containers inside your greenhouse! What a delightful way to grow your own living salad. Salad greens are easy to grow just about anywhere the sun shines or you can use a grow light in your greenhouse.

Plant your lettuce in the fall, as it is extremely productive at this time of the year. Lettuce can be grown in containers, and does well in one with a soil depth of 9 to 12 inches. Make sure the soil contains a good supply of nitrogen for good leaf production. Lettuce needs cool weather to do well. In warm weather, lettuce turns bitter and quickly goes to seed.

There are 4 types of lettuce, and each of them require the same basic growing requirements. See the descriptions below. Tip: Add interest by mix varieties for different leaf colors and textures. Organic Buckwheat traditionally known to restore the circulatory system and is exceptionally high in Vitamin C.

Your salad kit container can be anything from a large clay pot to a old galvanized basin. Grow a whole salad kit in one tight spot or in smaller individual containers. The big red basket in the picture contains an organic mix of salad greens and looks bright and colorful too.

LEAF LETTUCE
Leaf lettuce has the most varieties and is the easiest to grow. It produces loose bunches of leaves instead of a solid head. Leaf lettuce comes in many colors and textures and should be included in everyone’s garden. It is quick growing and can be grown in warmer weather than the other types. When harvesting, cut the leaves off an inch or two above the ground, and the plants will send out new leaves for a second crop. Try Black Seeded Simpson, Salad Bowl, Early Curled Simpson, Oak Leaf or Prize Head.

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE
This lettuce forms small, tender, open heads that have a creamy, "buttery" center. It matures a little later than leaf lettuce and has a milder flavor. Include in your garden for some variety in your salads. Try Buttercrunch, White Boston, Tom Thumb (our favorite), Little Gem or Big Boston.

ROMAINE
Also called Cos, this lettuce has upright clusters of big, crunchy leaves. The leaves are very flavorful and exceptionally crisp. This lettuce matures in 70 to 85 days. A must variety for any salad lover. Try Paris White Cos.

CRISPHEAD
This is the familiar "head" lettuce found in grocery stores. This variety takes the longest to grow and can be the most temperamental. Needs to mature in cool weather in order to form tight, compact heads. In many parts of the country, it is best grown as a fall crop. It is ready to harvest when the heads are solid and the outer leaves turn a yellowish green. Try Wakefield Crunch, New York #12, Great Lakes and Iceberg.

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