I invite you once again to step into my indoor salad garden! This time, it’s all about color. Once you have mastered the basic process I shared in the first Indoor Salad Garden video and are growing piles of delicious, fresh and crunchy greens for your kitchen, you might want to add some new flavors and colors!

I have 6 colorful new greens to introduce you to:

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Purple kohlrabi
• Amaranth
• Purple radish
• Popcorn

You DON’T need to invest in special racks, flats, shelving, grow lights, or fertilizer.

Instead, you can use everyday items from around the house. You probably have almost everything you need to begin!

Watch the video and I’ll walk you through it step by step. If you’re new to gardening in the house, watch the first video first.

Click the pink button below to print the Supply List and 7-Step Guide.

Seed Suppliers

• Azure Standard (my affiliate link; qualifying purchases help me earn credit toward a future order)
• Johnny’s Selected Seeds
• Sprout People
• High Mowing Seeds
• Starwest Botanicals

Broccoli

Broccoli sprouts are extremely nutritious – and also delicious! They are crisp, juicy and carry a mildly sweet broccoli flavor. Plant 1 teaspoon broccoli seeds per soup bowl.

“Broccoli sprouts contain 10–100 times higher levels of sulforaphane than mature plants, something that has been well known since 1997. Sulforaphane has a whole range of unique biological properties, and it is especially an inducer of phase 2 detoxication enzymes. Therefore, its use has been intensively studied in the field of health and nutrition.” NIH PubMed Central

Cabbage

Cabbage sprouts are so pretty! After a few days in a sunny window, they turn a bright chartreuse color which the photo doesn’t quite capture. The flavor is mild like the heart of a cabbage. Plant 1 teaspoon cabbage seeds per soup bowl.

The nutritional value of cabbage sprouts is similar to cabbage. The sprouts contain antioxidants, which are beneficial in fighting off diseases such as cancer. They also contain vitamin C and vitamin A as well as smaller amounts of trace elements, including sulfur and iodine.

Purple kohlrabi

Violet stems and fringed purple leaves of purple kohlrabi will delight you! The flavor is mild, nutty, similar to cabbage and other brassicas. Plant 1 teaspoon purple kohlrabi seeds per soup bowl.

Purple kohlrabi is replete with nutrients:

Vitamins A, B, C, E and K
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc
Carotene, Chlorophyll, Amino Acids, Trace Elements
Antioxidants
Protein: 30-35%

Garnet red amaranth

Shockingly pink stems and tiny green leaves with burgundy undersides will add a colorful pop of fuchsia to your salads! The flavor of amaranth is very mild and blends well with other greens as it does not call attention to itself. Plant 1 teaspoon amaranth seeds per soup bowl.

Amaranth is a good sources of carotenoids, proteins, including the essential amino acids methionine and lysine, dietary fiber and minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and manganese^5–16. Amaranth is also abundant in several pigments, such as carotenoids, chlorophylls, anthocyanins, ^17,18 and natural antioxidant phytochemicals, such as vitamin C, betacarotene and flavonoids.

Purple radish

Fast-growing radish greens come in a variety of colors. My current favorite is called Red Rambo and contrary to the name, it is not red – it is vivid purple! The flavor is mildly spicy, not harsh, and adds a lot of bulk to your salad bowl as it produces a generous “head” of “greens.” Another favorite is Hong Vit radish, with red stems and green leaves. Plant 1 tablespoon radish seeds per soup bowl.

Radish shoots have high phytonutrient density and like other sprouts or shoots, contain more nutrients than their mature counterparts.

Popcorn

This one might be a surprise to you – it was to me! Who would ever have thought that popcorn kernels, which are really seeds, could be grown to produce edible greens? I learned about growing popcorn shoots in Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening by Peter Burke. (If you like to buy used books as I do, check out my favorite online seller of books both used and new using my link. We can both earn points towards free books!)

Popcorn shoots are grown in the dark, from start to finish, which takes about 7-10 days. I don’t know a lot about their nutritional value since they are not a common food, but I can tell you that the pale yellow color will perk up your salads and their sweet maple-y flavor adds a welcome touch of sweetness when the tender round “leaves” are chopped. Plant 1 tablespoon popcorn seeds per soup bowl.

How to eat your greens

Directions for harvesting and washing indoor-grown salad greens are included in the printable 7-Step Guide.

Get creative!

• Toss up colorful salads
• Stuff them in tacos and omelets
• Drop them in green smoothies
• Garnish sandwiches
• Stir into salads and stews as you serve
• Add to every plate, from breakfast to dinner!

Happy Indoor Salad Gardening! Even when it’s too cold or too hot to garden outdoors or if you lack a garden space, you can still grow all the fresh, delicious salad greens needed in your household by setting up your own indoor salad garden!