Sowing seed of salad leaves in lengths of guttering can help keep your seedlings safe from slugs and snails, and enable you to transplant the whole row into the soil as and when soil space becomes available. Short, 1m lengths of guttering are convenient and easy to handle. When the salad seeds germinate, simply grow them on for two to four weeks and then slide the plants into their final growing positions.

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You Will Need

  • Salad seeds
  • Lengths of guttering
  • Hand saw
  • Duct tape
  • Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
  • Watering can with rose attachment

Step 1

Adding Gaffa tape to the end of guttering
Adding Gaffa tape to the end of guttering

Saw the guttering to a manageable size and remove any ends. Replace each end with a large piece of Gaffa tape, which will keep the compost in place but can easily be removed when you transplant the seedings into the soil.

Step 2

Sowing salad leaf seeds in multi-purpose soil
Sowing salad leaf seeds in multi-purpose soil

Fill the guttering with moist, peat-free, multi-purpose compost and gently firm down. Create a shallow drill in the centre of the compost and sow seeds sparingly along it.

Step 3

Covering the seeds with compost
Covering the seeds with compost

Use your thumb and forefinger to replace the compost over the seed and firm gently.

Step 4

Watering the compost
Watering the compost

Transfer the lengths of guttering to your greenhouse or cold frame, and water the compost with a watering can with a fine rose attached.

Step 5

Salad seedlings growing in guttering
Salad seedlings growing in guttering

Seed should germinate within a few days. Leave to grow on for up to four weeks before planting out in the soil. Don't forget to keep plants well watered, especially in hot weather.

Step 6

Transplanting the whole row of salad seedlings in one go
Transplanting the whole row of salad seedlings in one go
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Your salad leaf seedlings will be ready to transplant when their roots fill the compost in the guttering. Use a garden trowel to make a wide, shallow drill in prepared soil. Then simply remove the gaff tape from one end of the guttering and gently slide the seedlings in place. Water them in thoroughly.

Sow more seeds at two-week intervals to provide a continuous supply of leaves for salads.
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