Quick Reference:

Plant seed 1/8 to 1/4 inches deep spaced 1 to 2 inches apart. Germination: 7 to 14 days. Plant spacing in the garden after thinning, 5 to 6 inches. Shallow planting provides warmer soil but soil MUST be kept moist at all times until seedlings emerge.

When and where to plant:

Salad greens grow beautifully in Alaska's cool climate. Salad greens will mature in early summer when the seed is planted directly in the garden and can be started before the danger of frost is past as soon as the soil can be prepared and has warmed in the spring. For an earlier crop, the seed may be started indoors 4 to 5 weeks before the last frost, salad greens transplant easily. Choose a sunny location, cultivate soil, enrich with plant food, smooth the soil surface, plant seed sparingly, lightly cover with not more than 1/8 inch soil and firm soil over seed.. Water well for good seed-soil contact. DO NOT allow the seed to dry out during the germination period.

Care:

Rapid growth is essential for high quality salad greens, provide adequate supplies of water and apply plant food once a month. Thin so the plants are 5 to 6 inches apart. Produce a second and third crop by planting at 2 to 3 week intervals.

Harvest:

Pull the entire plant or remove just the outer leaves to provide fresh salad greens over a long period.