Cut & Come Salads

cut and come lettuce
The best thing about this time of year is the fresh, young, salad crops that look so tasty (especially after a shower of rain). This year I’m trying some Cut & Come lettuce (a salad mix). It’s fantastic. They’re ready way before the hearting varieties and it means that we’re enjoying salads already!

11 Comments on “Cut & Come Salads

  1. I couldn’t agree more. I’m growing 3 mixes in trays – Italian mix, French mix and just a mix (English maybe?).
    I had my 1st crop 2 weeks ago and it was oh so tasty :)
    I also have a long line of Cut & Come lettuce seeded on the lottie in between the peas and french beans.
    What I’m really looking forward to though is the making of my own Greek salad. Red Baron onion, Marketmore cucumber, Alicante tomato + a few salad leaves maybe. I really cannot wait until that day! Olive oil and Feta is something I cannot produce yet but hey who knows how big my olive tree will grow??

  2. Hi, just found your blog by accident! This is my first year of trying to grow stuff (except the odd tomato innabag) and I’m loving having more spinach and lettuce than I can actually eat – no more overpriced salad bags from the supermarkets, hurrah!

    I planted soem chitted pink fir apples about 2 months ago, the plants are now about 2 ft high – when do they crop and any tips for success? Any help for a novice welcomed!

  3. Hi Hogarth, welcome to mtp and the wonderful world of vegetable gardening. I’m so glad you’re growing PFA potatoes. They are one of the best varieties you can grow I think. Very tasty and interesting. In answer to your question – normally potatoes are ready once they have flowered. So once you see the flowers push back some of the soil and have a little peak. If they’re ready dig some up and make a nice potato salad. I bet you can’t wait!

  4. Hi Hogarth, I’ve planted 24 PFA and mine aren’t so high as yours but I may have planted them deeper. Also earthed them up yesterday. Don’t take this as the correct thing to do though as it’s also my first year!
    I’ve also got 24 Ratte, 20 Lady Christl, 20 Foremost, 20 Kestral and a couple of Aaron Pilot planted – all earlies and salad types.
    I’m growing loads more spuds than other allotmenteers that I know and also most of them are boilers. I’m not doing any maincrop as they take up too much space and for mash and roasters then the shops sell them cheaply. I REALLY can’t wait for those flowers to come!
    I still have loads of chitted spuds in the shed though that I have no room to plant and it makes me a little sad every time I see them! I keep thinking maybe I should plant them in free spaces or in the compost heap or borders but then I check myself with crop rotation and the need to keep them seperate.

    mtp – let’s have a blog on tomatoes next (or PFA??) (if you’re growing either of them)?

    Check this out: http://www.pinkfirapple.co.uk/

  5. Cut & come again salad is a fantastic addition to the veg plot. I have French, Spicy & Stir Fry all at different stages. Beats £1.50 a bag & chemicals not optional!

  6. Hi from another lurker who enjoys this site.

    Pink Fir Apple spuds are maincrop and therefore have slightly different rules (or rather a longer growing period). They’re ready when the leaves have started to yellow and die down – 22 weeks from planting to harvest according to Sarah Raven (12-13 weeks for earlies).

    I’m a fan of mixed salad leaves too – great to harvest from under a portable cloche at Christmas – bring the whole lot in to pick some leaves.

  7. Nothing beats a fresh spring salad picked straight from the garden. Your lettuces look wonderful, especially in the fresh rain. I am harvesting my first lettuces here, too. And arugula, which is just fantastic.

  8. Hi Christa – thanks for dropping by. I love your blog and your photos too.

  9. I’ve got a packet of mixed salad leaves – I really want to get started on them. I heard that you should sow them where you want them to grow – any advice on the best type of pot/container? How close should I put the seeds together? Thanks anyone!

  10. I love cut and come again salad – mine should be ready to start harvesting in just a few days time. Which means I should probably sow another row soon – another job for the list :)