Three Easy Gourmet Greens

by Bill Pitts

My favorite vegetables are usually those most difficult to grow in Florida. Asparagus is marginal here and will never produce spears as tender or thick as those grown in a more suitable climate. Most garden guides warn against even attempting artichokes (though I actually had some success this year with them, thanks to a seedling from a garden friend). Garlic will supposedly form bulbs here, but so far I’ve made do with garlic shoots.

We’re luckier when it comes to gourmet greens. Some of the best are flat-out easy in Florida.

One of my favorites is corn salad, Valerianella locusta, also known as lamb’s lettuce or mâche. In Europe corn salad is a luxury green, usually served as an elegant salad, though it may also be cooked. Its flavor is delicate, with a hint of raw nuts, hence another common name, “nut lettuce.” The texture of the spoon-shaped leaves is so tender they seem to melt in your mouth, yet they are meaty and slightly crisp. I have grown the varieties Vert de Cambrai and Vert D’Estampes, but in my garden they differ little from the ordinary type called simply “corn salad.”

Usually only a few inches high and twice as wide, corn salad looks like a small weed; in much of Europe and North America, that’s exactly what it is. Though not naturalized in Florida, corn salad is still easy to grow here in the cool months. Sow the seeds in improved garden soil or in containers as soon as temperatures drop in the fall. Be patient. The seeds may take a couple of weeks to germinate and the plants don’t grow particularly fast. Because the plants are small, I sow them fairly thickly, almost as I would micro greens, and use the thinnings in salads. Corn salad will take even Florida’s hardest freezes in stride. It rarely suffers from pests or diseases. Serve corn salad tossed with other greens or, for a real treat, on its own with a simple dressing of good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

If you have ever ordered a green salad in a good Italian restaurant, you have probably tried wild arugula, Diplotaxis tenuifolia, a.k.a., wild rocket. Unlike ordinary garden arugula, Eruca sativa, wild arugula is spicy, almost piquant, nutty and quite intense. It is often used as an addition to salads rather than on its own. It also makes a nice garnish for pizzas and pasta dishes.

Wild arugula will take some heat, but in summer it develops a harsh taste and tough texture, so it is best enjoyed in the cool season. This plant is a true weed in Florida. It will naturalize in lightly disturbed sand, coming back year after year, making it a good permaculture crop. It is also ornamental, with deeply-cut leaves and sprays of small yellow flowers typical of the mustard family. Unlike most leafy greens, bolting does not affect the flavor or texture of wild arugula, so you can harvest while it is blooming, which is much of the time.

Watercress is another easy gourmet green in Florida — fairly easy anyway. As the name implies, it grows in water, but unless you happen to have a pristine spring on your property, it’s easiest to cultivate in a container with an ample saucer. Use a quality potting mix. Sow the tiny seeds on the surface, pat them lightly but don’t cover them. Keep the saucer full of water, replacing or replenishing it every couple of days; in 2 months you’ll have watercress. Even a 12-inch pot of watercress will produce enough for several salads, quite a few sandwiches and garnishes. You’ll probably want a larger planting if you’re making watercress soup. If you’ve never tried it, the flavor is both cool and peppery.

Watercress grows wild in Florida. We even have some watercress farms on the west coast which export most of their harvest to Europe. That said, I find watercress to be more finicky than either corn salad or wild arugula. It does not like heat, and so should be grown only in the cool months, but it won’t tolerate frost either. It wants some sun, but not too much. Dappled shade is best. Between freezes and the changing angles of the sun, I move around my container of watercress quite a bit.

Though watercress is definitely a cut-and-come-again crop, I find that a planting will get “tired” after 4 or 5 harvests and begin to suffer from aphids, chewing insects and other problems. The easiest solution is to start a new planting, either from a healthy cutting, which roots almost immediately, or by successive sowings. I try to stagger plantings every 1-2 months through fall and winter to
have a constant supply.

I grow containers of all three of these gourmet greens in the patio garden. They don’t outgrow their space, and they make a nice green filler between showier plants, such as begonias and succulents.

Growing these greens is easy on your wallet, too. If you ever doubt that they are worth the trouble, go to the best grocery store in your area — only the best will carry these greens — and take a look at the price.

Bill Pitts lives and gardens in DeLand.

© 2012 Bill Pitts. Originally published in Florida Gardening, Oct/Nov 2012. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Seed Sources

Territorial Seed Co. — www.territorial seed, (800) 626-0866
Gourmet Seed International LLC — www.gourmetseed.com (575) 398-6111