Gardening: It’s time to think early planting – unusual greens are a good start

By the time you read this, I’ll be wandering around the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival taking in the sweet smell of blooming plants and listening to bird song. OK, the blooming bulbs, perennials and trees were forced in greenhouses around Seattle and the bird song is a tape recording. But, after months of cold and gray landscapes, it will do.

However, it is time to start thinking about early planting and the first thing that comes to mind is a nice fresh salad straight out of the garden. What’s even better though is a salad spiced up with some unusual greens.

If you like a peppery spice, then arugula is a good choice. This is one of the earliest ones to sprout. To hurry it along, plant seeds indoors under lights, one eighth-inch deep in good potting mix. Keep moist to reduce bolting. As soon as the plants have three or four leaves, set them out in the garden. At the same time, seed more into the garden to extend the season. Baby leaves will be ready in three to four weeks and full-sized plants in six. This plant bolts quickly but the flowers are edible too so add them to a salad.

If you like a lemony flavor, find some space for perennial sorrel. I was first introduced to this by some of our local Slavic gardeners who use it as a green and in soups. The perennial begins growing by early April with long, bright green leaves that will hold into early June. Seeds can be planted either indoors or outdoors. Over time the clump will grow to 2 feet wide and can easily be divided every few years.

Culinary purslane is very similar to a common weed we find in the garden. However, the culinary form has larger golden, green leaves with a crunchy, mild flavor. Seeds are more likely to be found online than in local seed racks. They can be started indoors or in the garden after the danger of frost has passed.

Miners lettuce or claytonia is another edible native. Two leaves of the plant fold around each other and a small white flower. In the wild it likes moister, partly shady areas. According to the Johnny’s Seed catalog, it has a crunchy, “wild and fresh” flavor. Its name came from the days when prospectors looked forward to something fresh after a winter of beans, hard tack and game.

Mustard greens are another spicy, peppery green that will perk up a salad or stir fry. Seeds can be planted from early spring into late summer. Baby leaves are ready in three to four weeks and full-sized plants in six weeks. The leaves come in all shapes and colors from green to purple.

Spinach is a great addition to a salad. Its shiny, dark green leaves set other lighter colored greens nicely. Spinach needs to be planted by mid-April as it will bolt as we get closer to the long days of the summer solstice.