How to grow winter salad

Plenty of salad crops can grow outside in winter with a little protection - the key is to get them in the ground in early autumn. At this time, the soil is still warm seedlings or plug plants will establish quickly when planted out. You could even sow seeds direct.

Choose hardy varieties of your favourite salad leaves, or experiment with more unusual crops such as winter purslane and salad burnet. One of the most reliable winter leaf crops is corn salad, or lamb's lettuce, Valerianella locusta. Sow them in late summer, in seed trays. You could also sow seeds direct.

Grow plants in a sheltered, sunny spot, to protect them from cold winter winds. Ensure the soil is free-draining, as plants can freeze if left standing in pools of icy water.