Grow your own salad leaves

Salad leaves are one of the quickest and easiest crops to grow, ideal for sowing in pots, window-boxes or growing bags. We help you get started. For more expert advice on growing your own vegetables visit Gardenersworld.com.

Getting started

If you're planning to grow your plants in containers or window boxes, all you really need is a watering can.
You can treat yourself to a pair of gardening gloves, but they're not essential.
If you want to incorporate your fruit, veg and herbs in a flower border, you'll need a fork and a rake to prepare the seedbed, plus a hoe to create seed drills and keep the area weed-free.

You will need:

Flower pot
Something to provide drainage - broken pieces of polystyrene pieces of polystyrene packaging, bottle corks or washed stones
1 bag of multi-purpose compost
Seeds - Try herb specialist Jekka McVicar's 'Tuscan', 'Eastern' and 'Jekka's Choice Salad' herb mixes, or 'Saladsi' herb and salad mix from Thompson-Morgan, or 'Stir Fry', 'Braising Mix' and the 'Italian' and 'French salad mix' blends from Organic Catalogue .
Watering can
Scissors
Pencil (optional)