[vineweevil1]

Sorry for tha barrage of Q's today!

Have some rocket, spinach and other salad leaves.

am I right in thinking I can sow directly into fine soil now (just a small bit, then some in another couple weeks)

Do I have to water every day even before germination?

When they grow do I pull the plant out or chop off the leaves and they grow back?

Will they need and slug or bird protection (or protection from anything else other than a 2 yr old?)

[kezlou]

Hi there,

 I'm using containers with fine soil to grow mine at the moment. But last year i just planted them out straight into a bit of soil (patch of mud really alas).
I picked when they got about 2 feet tall. Took them from the top and worked way down. By the time i got to the top they had grown back again.

It was my first time growing last year so i have no idea if that was thing to do.

Kerry.

[dereklane]

I tend to sow them indoors then plant out when they have a few true leaves. For rocket in particular, this saves me pulling them up thinking they're weeds, and for spinach/lettuce, it just gives them a fighting chance against the slugs.

It also means that one little packet of seed lasts me a few years.

As for picking, I do the outside leaves first for my leaf beet, and for lettuce I just pull the whole thing. I'm never short of them, as long as I sow a few batches through summer.

[gobs]

All easy outdoors, need slug protection as mentioned. You have to water so they germinate, especially in this weather, most salads like it cooler, so it is a good idea to sow somewhere a bit shady, otherwise they just very fast run to seed.

Also do pick often.