LEAFY GREENS

Salad self-sufficiency for much of the year is absolutely realistic even if you only have space for a few pots. Given I saw a bagged ‘Iceberg’ at the supermarket for $7 recently, anyone wanting to save money on food should say: lettuce grow!

Any cut-and-come-again lettuce

Loose leaf lettuces harvested leaf by leaf keep your salad days going longer… and one packet of seed costs less than a single bag of salad greens and could grow into literally hundreds of salads. Sow a few seeds every couple of weeks for an ongoing supply.

Mustard greens

Although every cut-and-come-again leafy green is a worthwhile budget buster, some got a special mention, like mustard greens which Ellen Schindler says grow super fast. Baby leaves add a pungent note to salads and sandwiches, and you can add to soup or sautes.

Mizuna

Jack Hobbs also rates mizuna as one of the most underrated of all leafy veges. “It is quick growing, tasty and nutritious. I find it also tolerates warmer conditions better.”

Russian kale

Tākaka permaculturist Sol Morgan says Russian kale, also knowns as Siberian kale, is a fantastic autumn to winter crop and you can leave it to self-seed.

Rocket

In all but the coldest regions, rocket grows year round and is super versatile in the kitchen. If it bolts, just let it self-seed (plus the flowers are edible too).

Spring onions

Barbara Smith always has spring onions in her garden. “They are so easy to grow from seed or punnets but expensive to buy and bought ones don’t last long. Snip off the tops and the roots keep growing so they last for a year or more in the garden.” She uses them in salads, stir-fries, muffins, omelettes and more.

Perpetual spinach

Taranaki urban market gardener and Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki academic staff member Carl Freeman rates this vege for its easygrowing, productive nature and its versatility in the kitchen. You can use it in place of spinach but it’s far less finicky about conditions and much less prone to bolting.

Silverbeet

OK, OK it’s not the most exciting crop, but it’s productive, pest-free and easy to grow in pots plus it self-seeds readily and in most of the country, will produce all year round.

Mesclun (or any salad mix)

Mesclun means a mix of greens, traditionally including chervil, arugula, lettuces and endive, but actually any salad seed mix or a mixed punnet of seedlings is a great way to grow a range of greens. Nelson chef and NZ Gardener food writer Nicola Galloway recommends the heritage lettuce mix from Setha Seeds.