10 Types of Greens You Ought to Be Growing this Spring

While there are many classic greens—lettuce, kale, chard, spinach—we are accustomed to growing in our gardens, there are others that just haven’t made quite the same splash. Nevertheless, like legumes, each green is delicious in its own way and worthy of giving a go. What’s more, in terms of gardening, they generally easy to grow and like to get started before those summer crops are ready to be outside.

With that in mind, it’s time to explore the other greens you ought to be growing this spring. Not only with they help to keep the menu exciting, but also they might just work better. Some of these greens may be familiar by name but less so by having eaten them regularly. Some of them might be altogether new. But, all of them are worth a try!

Arugula

Source: woodleywonderworks/Flickr

One of the most agreeable greens to grow, arugula is very quick to provide some leaves to eat, and it can be picked a little at a time, providing fresh salad fodder until the summer makes them bolt. Arugula makes a great groundcover type of plant that can fill in space, particularly in an herb garden, where the aromatic herbs chase pests away from the arugula leaves.

Collard

Collard greens have grown in popularity over the past few years. They are certainly not just a side dish in Southern cafes anymore. And, this is rightfully so. They are delicious and easy to grow and more tolerant of the heat than most other greens. They can be used as a wrap instead of a bread product, or they really delicious after a quick sauté.

Cress

Easy to grow inside or out, cress has a wonderful peppery flavor and bulk-load of nutrients. Cress grows extremely quickly and should be eaten before it goes to flower, after which it becomes unpleasantly bitter. It requires little nutrients but does love sunshine and moisture, hence watercress. This one is best eaten raw.

Fiddleheads

Source: Darya Pino/Flickr

A slight twist on the term “greens”, fiddleheads are actually the furled fronds of the ostrich fern. So, technically, they are kind of like leaves. Fiddleheads can be harvested in early spring and prepared kind of like asparagus. The nice part of growing this vegetable is that it is perennial and prefers the shade, which means it won’t be vying for valuable garden space.

Horseradish

Often used as a condiment or part of a condiment (cocktail sauce), horseradish is renowned for its sinus-clearing powers. For those who enjoy such things, horseradish greens are a great new toy to play with. They are a milder version of the horseradish root we use more commonly. Horseradish has the reputation of being weedy, and it is perennial. In other words, plant it where it can stay without being a problem.

Mache

Amongst the mightiest of winter greens, mache—also known as corn salad—is very cold-hardy and has the capacity to become a weed (Oh! The horror!). In fact, it is called corn salad because of its tendency to grow wild in cornfields. Garden varieties of mache have larger, sweeter leaves and well worth including in this year’s cultivation of greens.

Mizuna

A close relative of mustard, mizuna is sometimes referred to as Japanese mustard greens. It has a slightly peppery flavor, a la mustard or arugula, and works wonderfully in salad mixes. There are several varieties available, including “purple mizuna”, which might take it off the “greens” list but could add some color to the plate.

Mustard

Source: Gloria Cabada-Leman/Flickr

For those of us who love the flavor of mustard, the condiment, mustard greens are a real treat. They deliver that same strain of delightful spice, and they work magic in both raw applications—salads, sandwiches, wraps—and sautéed in a robust greens mix. Cultivate in a designated corner or patch somewhere, and they’ll reseed themselves each year.

Sorrel

With the added advantage of being a perennial vegetable, sorrel has a striking sour flavor that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. The sourness of sorrel comes from an abundance of oxalic acid, which is okay to eat—many everyday foods have it—but should be consumed in moderation. Sorrel can be a great addition to salad mixes or sautéed with other greens

Turnip (Greens)

Turnips have the reputation of being a root vegetable, and undoubtedly, roasted turnip warrants that. However, turnip greens are also extremely delicious and worthy of cultivating. In fact, cooking the turnip root with turnip greens is possibly the best way to have both of these vegetables.

Isn’t wonderful that we live in a world with so many delicious greens to enjoy. There’s no reason to stop eating kale, chard, lettuce and spinach, but there is every reason to start eating more greens. So, this spring is the perfect time to get them growing.

Related Content:

• Food for Free: Foraging for Spring Greens
• 10 Big Time Greens for Cold Weather Gardens
• 7 Things You Should Be Saving Over Winter for Next Spring’s Garden
• What is ‘Veganic’ Gardening?
• 7 Useful Things That Aren’t Plants But Are Great to Include in Your Garden
• 7 Ways to Keep Your Garden Soil Rich in Minerals Naturally Without Buying Products!

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