Salad Garden Essentials

Tomato 'Moneymaker' – Seeds (Solanum lycopersicum)

The classic Tomato 'Moneymaker' is one of the most popular and reliable heirloom tomato varieties. Renowned for its heavy yields of medium-sized, bright red fruits, it produces smooth, round tomatoes with excellent flavor. Perfect for salads, sandwiches, and everyday cooking, ‘Moneymaker’ is an indeterminate (cordon) variety, meaning it will continue to grow and produce fruit all summer with proper support.

How to Grow

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

• Transplant: Once seedlings are strong, plant out into greenhouse, polytunnel, or a sunny, sheltered outdoor spot after last frost.

• Spacing: 45–60 cm apart with support canes or trellis.

• Pinch out side shoots to encourage strong vertical growth and abundant fruiting.

Key Features

• Classic heirloom tomato variety

• Heavy cropper with reliable yields

• Medium-sized, smooth, red fruits

• Excellent flavor – great for salads & cooking

• Indeterminate (cordon) – needs staking or training

Ideal For

• Greenhouse or outdoor growing

• Fresh eating, cooking, and preserving

• Gardeners who want a reliable, time-tested tomato

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: February – April

• Harvest: July – October

Quick Tip

For the best flavor, allow tomatoes to ripen fully on the vine before picking. Regular feeding with a tomato fertilizer will boost yields.

Sweet Pepper 'Purple Bell' Seeds (Capsicum annuum)

Grow something truly eye-catching with Sweet Pepper 'Purple Bell' (Capsicum annuum). This unique variety produces glossy, deep-purple bell peppers that are crisp, juicy, and sweet. Perfect for adding a splash of color to salads, stir-fries, or stuffed dishes, ‘Purple Bell’ combines ornamental beauty with outstanding flavor. Fruits mature from purple to red, giving you a colorful harvest throughout the season.

How to Grow

• Sow seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost.

• Use light, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun.

• Sow 0.5 cm deep, keeping soil moist at 22–26°C until germination (7–14 days).

• Transplant outdoors or into containers after frost, spacing 40–50 cm apart.

• Water regularly and feed with a potassium-rich fertilizer.

Key Features

• Striking purple bell pepper variety

• Crisp, sweet, and juicy flavor

• Fruits mature from purple to red for extended harvest

• Ideal for containers, patios, or garden beds

• Ornamental and edible in equal measure

Ideal For

• Fresh eating and salads

• Stuffing, roasting, and stir-fries

• Patio pots and greenhouse growing

• Gardeners wanting unique, colorful crops

Sowing

• Best time: Indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost

• Depth: 0.5 cm

• Spacing: 40–50 cm apart

• Prefers warm, sunny conditions and fertile, well-drained soil

Quick Tip

• Harvest when purple for unique flavor and appearance, or allow to fully ripen to red for maximum sweetness.

Spring Onion 'White Lisbon' Seeds (Allium cepa)

A classic favorite, Spring Onion 'White Lisbon' is one of the most popular and reliable scallion varieties. It produces crisp, mild-flavored stems with bright white bases and vibrant green tops, perfect for salads, stir-fries, and garnishes. Fast-growing and hardy, it can be sown throughout the season for a continuous supply of fresh spring onions.

How to Grow

• Sow directly outdoors from early spring to autumn.

• Prefers light, well-drained soil in full sun.

• Sow thinly, 1 cm deep in rows 20 cm apart.

• Thin seedlings to 2–3 cm spacing.

• Harvest when stems reach pencil thickness.

Key Features

• Traditional, best-loved spring onion variety

• Mild, fresh flavor with crisp stems

• Quick to mature and easy to grow

• Can be sown successionally for year-round harvest

• Perfect for beds, borders, or containers

Ideal For

• Fresh salads and garnishes

• Stir-fries and Asian dishes

• Continuous cropping through the season

• Beginner-friendly gardens and containers

Sowing

• Best time: February to October

• Depth: 1 cm

• Row spacing: 20 cm

• Plant spacing: Thin to 2–3 cm

• Harvest: From 8 weeks after sowing

Quick Tip

• For tender, mild stems, sow little and often to enjoy fresh onions all season long.

Savoy Cabbage 'Rocket' – Seeds

(Brassica oleracea) – Crisp, Crinkled Leaves & Fast Growth

Savoy Cabbage 'Rocket' is a vigorous, early-maturing variety prized for its tender, crinkled dark-green leaves and compact, dense heads. It delivers a mild, sweet flavor and is ideal for fresh salads, cooking, and steaming. Perfect for home gardens and small-scale cultivation.

Key Features

• Type: Biennial, grown as annual

• Heads: Medium-sized, dense, crinkled dark-green leaves

• Flavor: Mild, sweet, tender

• Harvest: Early to mid-season

• Use: Salads, cooking, steaming, stir-fries, freezing

Ideal For

• Home gardens and allotments

• Early harvest for fresh culinary use

• Succession planting for continuous supply

• Gourmet cooking and healthy meals

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April for transplanting.

• Sow outdoors: March–May for summer harvest.

• Spacing: 45–50 cm between plants, 60–70 cm between rows.

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil with added compost.

• Sunlight: Full sun for best growth.

• Harvest: When heads are firm and well-formed.

Care Tips

• Keep soil consistently moist to prevent splitting.

• Protect seedlings from cabbage root fly and caterpillars.

• Fertilize moderately for dense heads.

Ramsons Wild Garlic – Seeds (Allium ursinum)

Ramsons Wild Garlic is a hardy perennial herb prized for its aromatic, garlicky leaves. Perfect for adding fresh, vibrant flavor to salads, pestos, soups, and sauces, it is a versatile addition to any herb or woodland garden. Its delicate white flowers also provide ornamental interest and attract pollinators.

This low-maintenance plant thrives in shaded, moist areas and can naturalize over time, creating a fragrant ground cover in suitable conditions.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: January – March

• Sow outdoors: March – May

• Depth: 0.5–1 cm

• Spacing: 20–25 cm between plants

• Position: Partial to full shade, woodland-type environment

• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained

• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells

Key Features

• Hardy perennial with aromatic, garlicky leaves

• Ideal for salads, pestos, soups, and sauces

• Attractive white flowers that attract pollinators

• Low-maintenance, naturalizes well in shaded areas

• Thrives in moist, fertile, well-drained soils

Harvest

• Harvesting period: March – May

• Pick young leaves before flowering for the best flavor.

Short Tip

Avoid harvesting all leaves at once; leave some for continued growth and flowering.

Cucumber 'Marketmore' – Seeds (Cucumis sativus)

Cucumber 'Marketmore' is a classic, reliable outdoor cucumber variety producing dark green, smooth-skinned fruits with crisp texture and excellent flavor. Highly productive and resistant to common diseases, it is perfect for slicing, salads, and fresh eating. Vigorous and easy to grow, ‘Marketmore’ is a favorite among both beginners and experienced gardeners.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: April – May in pots or trays.

• Transplant outdoors: After last frost into a sunny, sheltered spot.

• Sow direct outdoors: May – June, once soil is warm.

• Spacing: 45–60 cm apart in rows or beds.

• Provide regular watering and mulch to keep soil moist.

Key Features

• Classic slicing cucumber variety

• Smooth, dark green, uniform fruits

• Crisp, refreshing flavor

• Heavy cropping and reliable yields

• Resistant to common cucumber diseases

Ideal For

• Outdoor vegetable plots and raised beds

• Fresh summer salads and sandwiches

• Gardeners seeking a tried-and-true cucumber variety

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: April – June

• Harvest: July – September

Quick Tip

Pick fruits regularly to encourage continuous production. Avoid letting cucumbers grow too large for the best taste and texture.

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

Borage – Seeds

(Borago officinalis) – Edible Flowers & Pollinator Magnet

Borage, also known as the starflower, is a fast-growing annual herb admired for its vivid blue, star-shaped flowers and fuzzy, cucumber-flavored leaves. A favorite of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, it makes an excellent addition to herb gardens, vegetable patches, or pollinator-friendly borders. Both flowers and young leaves are edible – perfect for garnishing salads, desserts, drinks, or freezing into ice cubes.

Key Features

• Plant type: Annual herb

• Height: 50–70 cm

• Spread: 30–40 cm

• Flowers: Bright blue, star-shaped

• Foliage: Grey-green, hairy leaves with cucumber flavor

• Position: Full sun to light shade

• Soil: Moderately fertile, well-drained

Ideal For

• Herb & cottage gardens

• Attracting pollinators (especially bees)

• Edible flowers & herbal teas

• Companion planting with tomatoes, strawberries, and courgettes

Sowing & Growing

• Sow outdoors: April–June, direct in soil, 1 cm deep.

• Germination: 7–14 days.

• Spacing: Thin to 30 cm apart.

• Flowering: June–September.

Care Tips

• Easy to grow and self-seeding – will naturalize readily.

• Pinch back growing tips for bushier plants.

• Collect flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming.

• Water in dry spells but avoid overwatering.

Beetroot 'Detroit 2 Crimson Globe' – Seeds (Beta vulgaris)

The classic Detroit 2 Crimson Globe beetroot is a reliable and popular variety, producing smooth, round roots with deep crimson flesh. Known for its sweet, earthy flavor and fine texture, it’s ideal for roasting, boiling, pickling, or enjoying raw in salads. An excellent keeper, it stores well after harvesting, making it a staple for kitchen gardens.

How to Grow

• Sow seeds outdoors from March to July.

• Sow thinly, 2 cm deep, in rows 30 cm apart.

• Thin seedlings to 10 cm apart once established.

• Prefers fertile, well-drained soil in full sun.

• Harvest when roots are firm and smooth, around golf-ball size for the best flavor.

Key Features

• Classic heirloom beetroot variety

• Smooth, round roots with deep crimson flesh

• Sweet, earthy taste with tender texture

• Suitable for fresh use, storage, or pickling

• Easy and reliable for all gardeners

Ideal For

• Roasting, boiling, and pickling

• Salads and fresh eating

• Kitchen gardens, allotments, or raised beds

• Long-term storage after harvest

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: March to July

• Depth: 2 cm

• Spacing: 10 cm between plants, 30 cm between rows

• Harvest: June to October

Quick Tip

• For a continuous supply, sow little and often every 2–3 weeks until midsummer.