Baby Leaf salad growing times

How long does it take to grow Baby Leaf salad? What affects its growth? We asked Simone Sonzogni, Raw materials procurement manager. Read what he has to say.

Small, tasty, fresh and always available at the supermarket. Baby Leaf salads are particular types of small vegetables which were first launched in Italy in the 70s, and soon became a staple food for tables all over Europe.

When you see them in their bags or savour them as a colourful side dish for meat and fish delicacies, always available, 365 days a year, have you ever wondered what their growth cycle entails and how producers manage to deliver them both in summer and winter? Let’s find out together.

The quality of the soil and the weather

Like all agricultural crops, the main variant for the consistent growth of baby leaf salads is the composition of the soil and favourable weather, as well as good farming practices.

As baby leaves are small in size, they are more likely to grow even in winter months, making it easier to cultivate them all year round, not just in Spring/Summer.

Greenhouse cultivation

At OP Isola Verde we can guarantee delivery of baby leaf salads all year round thanks to greenhouse cultivation.

With 230 hectares of greenhouse cultivation in both northern and southern Italy, we are able to work in the summer and winter months alike, delivering lamb’s lettuce, baby lettuce, rocket, baby leaf mix etc. non-stop, day after day.

Agriculture 4.0

The use of cutting edge technologies, such as weather control units and varietal selection, has enabled us to optimise production cycles, improving the quality of our baby leaf salads season after season, whilst reducing the waste margin and increasing the standards of taste, freshness and product quality.

These key characteristics have made our crops more resilient and allow us to grow our produce consistently over a 12-month period.

Experience

There is a saying, which can also be found on the wall of our meeting room, which states that “Agriculture is the art of knowing how to wait.” The growing times of baby leaf salads depend on the type, the season, the weather conditions, and temperatures.

Thanks to Agriculture 4.0, we have learned to monitor some of these aspects and to act accordingly, but nothing can beat experience.

At OP Isola Verde we have been producing baby leaf salads since the beginning of 90s, and in over 30 years of field work we have learned how to prepare the soil, to remove any foreign bodies, to harvest the leaves, to control and protect the crops and to optimise the handling of harvested crops.

If there is indeed a secret to growing Baby Leaf salads, maybe this is it: knowing how to wait and learn patiently. If it is respected, soil will pay you back, even 365 days a year.

ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR A SUPPLIER THAT CAN GUARANTEE BABY LEAF SALAD DELIVERIES ALL YEAR ROUND?

Procurement Manager

My goal is to optimise our agricultural production.

Every day I work to improve the business management system and engage the supplier members in the philosophy of continuous improvement.

I support the individual OP Isola Verde enterprises so they make the best use of their production capacities and guarantee quality baby leaf salads to our customers, time and time again.