How to Grow Your Own Spring Greens
Turn over a new leaf and plant these versatile alternatives to plain old lettuce. We’ve got tips to get you growing—and recipes to inspire
Get Planting
Why wait for warmer weather to put your green thumb to work? Plant some cold-loving leafy greens in spring, and you can enjoy fresh produce weeks before it’s tomato-planting time. Sprouted from seeds or dug in as seedlings, these hardy and hearty vegetables are easy to grow and can survive a late-season cold snap. Snipped young and tender, they perk up any salad mix; cooked, their mature leaves can add zing to stir-fries, soups, stews, and more.
Many of these cold-loving greens are members of the brassica group of antioxidant-rich, immune-boosting cruciferous vegetables like arugula, which has a nutty taste and a slightly peppery bite. You can find variations on its long, narrow, serrated or lobed leaf in the six seed varieties at Burpee, including ‘Myway,’ which matures in just 30 to 35 days.
A raised bed allows you to control the garden’s soil composition from the start. Its height also makes planting and plucking easier on your back. Find out how to build a raised planting bed.
