Overwintered leafy vegetables from my garden.

There is just no better feeling than getting an entire crate of fresh vegetables in the middle of March. We are basically self-sufficient in leafy greens from now on. There are plenty of tender little plants in my polytunnel now, enough for all of our meals.

This is how I harvest my overwintered lettuce in early spring:

People often say that the hotbed is the best spot in the garden for early vegetables. But I actually get mine from my overwintered plants. These pictures are a great reminder of what's possible when I start preparing the winter gardening in fall.

The bumpy little leaves in the left corner are purslane leaves. Purslane is one of the hardiest overwintered vegetables.

Spring is the right time for leafy greens. We have been looking forward to them for so long! Finally, we can eat homegrown vegetables for every single meal. I'm especially excited about eating sandwiches with a mountain of leafy greens on top. It's so good! Forget about the cucumber slices and use a handful of newly harvested fresh leaves instead.

My first radish sowing is not doing so great. I sowed the seeds too soon and they turned out to be very leggy. I decided to pull the overwintered vegetables from the soil and use the plants in salads and on sandwiches instead.

Read more: Fresh and crispy lettuce

I harvest a nice big bowl of leaves every time, I rinse and then I store the leaves in a large airy plastic bag in my fridge.
/Sara Bäckmo