Secrets Of The Salad Leaves: How to Grow, Blend and Eat OrganicLea's Salad Mix

Of all the edible crops, Salad leaves make the most sense to be grown in the city.  Quality and nutritional value deteriorate rapidly once picked, so they are best consumed ultra-fresh if possible.  As well as freshness, the range of leaves on offer to the gardener cannot be rivalled by the supermarkets, and this diversity benefits soil health and wildlife. Salad can be successfully grown all year round, in a wide range of environments, including containers and partial shade. And a little salad lifts any meal in a number of levels!

In this workshop we will deconstruct OrganicLea's salad mix, which consists of 136 different leaves and 42 edible flowers. We will consider how to blend different flavours, textures and colours to delight all the senses. We will examine how and where to grow salad, including seed sowing tips, how they fit into a crop rotation, how to ensure continuous supply, and the crucial question of how to harvest them before the slugs do!

Workshop participants will get to sample a range of common and uncommon salad leaves, and take home seedlings of their own curated salad mix for growing on. 

Delivered by Ru Litherland who has been growing salad commercially for nearly three decades, at Growing Communities and OrganicLea. 

Fun fact: In 2013 Ru worked with local botanist Brian Wurzell to rescue the endangered wild plant Walthamstow Yellow Cress by realising its potential as a salad leaf and bringing it into the OrganicLea mix

COURSE FEES

There is a standard fee for each of our courses.

To support our vision to inspire everyone to grow, and learn we have developed an easy way to be able to offer discounted spaces to those who need them. Please take time to read the guidelines and consider whether you can pay a solidarity rate (standard fee plus 50%).

You may also feel that once you have read these guidelines that you could be eligible to pay a discounted rate (standard fee minus 50%). Please note there are limited spaces available at this rate.

Below is a short list of guidelines to help you make this decision of how much you can afford to pay:

Consider paying the solidarity rate (+50%) if you can tick at least one or more of these boxes:

□ You own the home you live in
□ Have access to savings and/or inherited money
□ Working part-time/not working is a choice (for example, have negotiated reducing hours to take this course or taking time out to consider a career change)
□ Have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education i.e. educated to degree level

Solidarity rates will offer someone support to take a course they may not otherwise be able to pay for.

Consider choosing for a discounted rate (-50%) if you:

□ Support children or other dependents on one income
□ Work part time/are on low income i.e. working less than 16 hours a week
□ You do unpaid care work
□ You do not qualify for state funds solely due to your immigration status