Salad Garden Essentials

Chives ‘Bohemia’ – Seeds (Allium schoenoprasum) – Hardy Perennial

Chives ‘Bohemia’ is a hardy perennial herb, perfect for overwintering and providing fresh growth year after year. Known for its fine, hollow green leaves and mild onion flavor, it’s a versatile kitchen herb ideal for salads, soups, sauces, and garnishes. In summer, attractive purple-pink flowers appear, loved by bees and pollinators, making this a decorative as well as useful garden plant.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: February – April in pots or trays at 15–20°C.

• Sow outdoors: April – July in finely prepared soil.

• Thin or transplant seedlings to 20 cm apart.

• Prefers full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil.

• Cut regularly to encourage fresh growth.

Key Features

• Hardy perennial herb with overwintering growth

• Fine, mild onion-flavored leaves

• Decorative purple flowers attract pollinators

• Easy to grow in pots, borders, or herb gardens

• Reliable year-round harvests

Ideal For

• Fresh salads, soups, sauces, and garnishes

• Herb gardens, borders, and containers

• Attracting bees and pollinators

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: February – July

• Harvest: May – October, with regrowth in spring

Quick Tip

Divide clumps every few years to maintain healthy growth and extend the lifespan of your chive plants.

Cucamelon 'Mouse Melon' – Seeds (Melothria scabra)

The quirky and delicious Cucamelon, also known as the Mouse Melon or Mexican Sour Gherkin, produces miniature watermelon-lookalike fruits with a refreshing cucumber-like taste and a hint of citrus. These grape-sized fruits are perfect for snacking, adding to salads, or pickling. Easy to grow and highly productive, they are a fun and unique addition to any kitchen garden.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors from April to May in pots at 20–24°C.

• Sow 1 cm deep in moist compost.

• Transplant seedlings into larger pots or outdoors after the last frost.

• Train plants to climb trellises or supports for the best yield.

• Harvest fruits when grape-sized and firm.

Key Features

• Produces tiny fruits resembling watermelons

• Refreshing cucumber flavor with a citrus twist

• High-yielding and easy to grow

• Decorative and fun addition to gardens

• Perfect for snacking, salads, and pickling

Ideal For

• Healthy snacking straight from the vine

• Adding crunch and flavor to salads

• Homemade pickles and preserves

• Gardeners looking for unusual and exciting crops

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: April to May (indoors)

• Plant out: Late May to June

• Spacing: 30–40 cm apart

• Harvest: July to October

Quick Tip

• Grow Cucamelons on a trellis or in hanging baskets to make harvesting easier and keep fruits clean.

Bush Tomato 'Vilma' – Seeds (Solanum lycopersicum)

The Bush Tomato 'Vilma' is a compact, high-yielding variety producing small, round, flavorful tomatoes with a rich, sweet taste. Its bushy growth habit makes it ideal for container growing, small gardens, or raised beds, offering fresh, homegrown tomatoes even in limited spaces.

'Vilma' is easy to grow and requires minimal support, making it perfect for beginner gardeners or urban growers. The plants provide abundant fruit throughout the season, perfect for salads, snacking, roasting, or sauces.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: February – April

• Transplant outdoors: After last frost, spacing 35–40 cm apart

• Position: Full sun

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost

• Care: Keep soil evenly moist; prune lightly to encourage airflow and fruit production

Key Features

• Compact, bushy plants ideal for containers and small gardens

• Small, round, sweet tomatoes with excellent flavor

• High-yielding and easy to grow

• Perfect for salads, snacking, roasting, and sauces

• Minimal support required

Harvest

• Harvesting period: 60–75 days after sowing

• Pick when fully colored and firm for best flavor and sweetness.

Short Tip

Regular harvesting of ripe fruits encourages continuous production and prevents overripe tomatoes from slowing growth.

Sweet Bell Pepper 'California Wonder' Red – Seeds (Capsicum annuum)

Sweet Bell Pepper 'California Wonder' Red is a classic, high-yielding variety producing large, blocky, bright red fruits with a sweet, crisp flavor. Perfect for fresh eating, salads, roasting, or stuffing, it is a versatile addition to any vegetable garden.

This vigorous and productive plant thrives in warm, sunny conditions and is ideal for home gardens, greenhouses, and containers.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: February – April

• Transplant outdoors: May – June, after last frost

• Depth: 0.5–1 cm

• Spacing: 40–50 cm between plants, rows 60–80 cm apart

• Position: Full sun, sheltered and warm

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained, rich in organic matter

• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist

Key Features

• Large, blocky, bright red fruits with sweet, crisp flavor

• High-yielding and vigorous growth

• Ideal for fresh eating, salads, roasting, and stuffing

• Suitable for home gardens, greenhouses, and containers

• Classic, reliable bell pepper variety

Harvest

• Harvesting period: July – September

• Pick fruits when fully colored and firm for best flavor.

Short Tip

Regular harvesting encourages continuous production and prevents fruits from becoming overripe.

Carrot "Cosmic Purple" – Seeds (Daucus carota) Heirloom

Carrot 'Cosmic Purple' is a stunning heirloom variety known for its vibrant deep purple skin and bright orange interior. Sweet, crisp, and visually striking, it’s perfect for salads, roasting, or fresh snacking. This unique carrot adds color and flavor to your garden and kitchen alike.

Adaptable and easy to grow, it thrives in home gardens, raised beds, or containers, producing tender roots with a distinctive appearance.

How to Grow

• Sow outdoors: March – July

• Plant spacing: 5–8 cm between seedlings

• Row spacing: 25–30 cm

• Position: Full sun

• Soil: Loose, deep, well-drained soil free of stones

• Care: Keep soil moist; thin seedlings to prevent overcrowding

Key Features

• Heirloom carrot with deep purple skin and orange core

• Sweet, crisp flavor suitable for salads, roasting, and snacking

• Easy to grow in gardens, raised beds, or containers

• Unique and colorful addition to vegetable gardens

• Open-pollinated, maintaining true-to-type characteristics

Harvest

• Harvesting period: 70–80 days after sowing

• Harvest when roots are tender and fully colored for the best flavor.

Short Tip

Thin seedlings early and harvest consistently to encourage straight, uniform roots with rich color.

Arugula ‘Garden Rocket’ Seeds (Eruca sativa)

Bring a peppery kick to your kitchen garden with Arugula ‘Garden Rocket’ (Eruca sativa). This fast-growing leafy green produces tender, deeply lobed leaves with a zesty, mustard-like flavor that’s perfect for salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and pasta dishes. Easy to grow and quick to mature, rocket is a must-have for continuous fresh harvests all season long.

How to Grow

• Sow seeds directly outdoors from spring through autumn.

• Use fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

• Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep in rows, spacing 10–15 cm apart.

• Keep soil moist for steady growth.

• Harvest young leaves within 3–5 weeks for the best flavor.

Key Features

• Fast-growing leafy green with peppery flavor

• Ready to harvest in just a few weeks

• Perfect for salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and pasta

• Easy to grow in beds, borders, or containers

• Continuous cropping with succession sowing

Ideal For

• Fresh kitchen use in salads and cooked dishes

• Containers, raised beds, and garden borders

• Quick, cut-and-come-again harvesting

• Gardeners of all skill levels

Sowing

• Best time: Spring to autumn outdoors

• Depth: 0.5 cm

• Spacing: 10–15 cm apart

• Prefers sun or partial shade with well-drained soil

Quick Tip

• Sow every 2–3 weeks for a steady supply of young, tender leaves.

Tomato 'Sweet Million' – Seeds (Solanum lycopersicum)

Tomato 'Sweet Million' is a hugely popular cherry tomato variety, loved for its prolific trusses of bite-sized fruits that are bursting with sweetness. Producing heavy yields of glossy, bright red tomatoes, this vigorous variety is perfect for snacking, salads, and adding fresh bursts of flavor to your dishes. A strong-growing, indeterminate (cordon) type, it thrives in greenhouses or sunny outdoor spots.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: February – April in seed trays or pots.

• Transplant seedlings to larger pots or greenhouse borders once established.

• Plant outdoors after the last frost in a sunny, sheltered spot.

• Requires support and regular side-shoot removal (cordon type).

Key Features

• Produces masses of sweet cherry tomatoes

• High-yielding and reliable variety

• Fruits in long trusses for easy picking

• Excellent for salads, snacking & garnishes

• Indeterminate (cordon) – needs staking

Ideal For

• Greenhouse or outdoor growing

• Fresh eating straight from the vine

• Salads, pasta, and summer dishes

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: February – April

• Harvest: July – October

Quick Tip

For the best flavor and continuous cropping, harvest fruits regularly and feed plants weekly with a tomato fertilizer once trusses set.

Courgette 'Goldena' – Seeds (Cucurbita pepo)

The Courgette 'Goldena' is a vibrant golden-yellow zucchini variety that adds both beauty and productivity to the garden. Its smooth, glossy fruits have a delicate, sweet flavor and tender texture, making them perfect for grilling, roasting, stir-fries, or slicing into fresh summer salads.

This vigorous and high-yielding plant produces abundantly throughout the summer, offering a continuous harvest of attractive golden courgettes. Compact and easy to grow, it thrives in beds, borders, or large containers.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: April – May in pots

• Sow outdoors: Late May – June after last frost

• Spacing: 60–90 cm apart

• Soil: Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained

• Position: Full sun

• Care: Water regularly and harvest fruits young for best taste and productivity

Key Features

• Striking golden-yellow courgette variety

• Sweet, tender flavor ideal for cooking or salads

• High-yielding and continuous summer harvest

• Compact plants suitable for gardens or containers

• Easy to grow and highly ornamental

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: April – June

• Harvest: July – September

Tomato Pink 'Maliniak' – Seeds (Solanum lycopersicum)

The Tomato Pink 'Maliniak' is a traditional Polish heirloom variety known for its large, pink, fleshy fruits bursting with rich, sweet flavor. This mid-season tomato is a favorite among home gardeners for its outstanding taste, meaty texture, and versatility in the kitchen. Perfect for slicing, fresh salads, and sandwiches, it also performs beautifully in sauces and preserves.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors from February to April, 0.5 cm deep in seed trays or pots.

• Keep at 18–22°C until germination.

• Transplant seedlings into larger pots when strong enough, then outdoors or into a greenhouse after frost has passed.

• Provide support as plants grow tall and bear heavy fruits.

Key Features

• Large, pink fleshy fruits with rich, sweet taste

• Traditional Polish heirloom tomato

• Mid-season variety with reliable yields

• Ideal for fresh eating and cooking

• Strong, healthy plants suitable for greenhouse or outdoor cultivation

Ideal For

• Fresh salads and sandwiches

• Cooking into sauces and soups

• Traditional and heirloom vegetable gardens

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: February to April

• Plant out: May to June (after frost)

• Harvest: July to September

Quick Tip

• For best flavor, allow fruits to fully ripen on the vine before picking. Regular feeding boosts size and sweetness.