Summer-savvy greens

OAKLEAF LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa) If your lettuce is letting you down, try growing oakleaf lettuce. It’s the most heat-tolerant lettuce type, and there are many varieties – look for extra-frilly Darwin, which is particularly suited to hot areas. Like other loose-leaf lettuces, pick off the outer leaves as needed. For the most tender leaves, keep the plant moist and feed fortnightly with liquid fertiliser.

BRAZILIAN SPINACH (Alternanthera sessilis) This versatile leafy green, also known as sissoo spinach or samba lettuce, is a compact, low-growing perennial with attractive crinkled leaves that have a pleasant crunch and subtle tangy flavour when eaten raw. It thrives in a sunny spot and strikes readily from cuttings. Toss into salads and stir-fries, or add to a sandwich. (It can be weedy, so grow in a container, especially if you live near bushland.)

WILD ROCKET (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) With divided leaves and a deep taproot, wild rocket is more heat and drought tolerant than the commonly grown salad rocket. It’s a perennial, growing for up to four years, unlike salad rocket, which flowers and dies in one season. You can enjoy its peppery leaves for most of the year. Grow in pots or in the ground in full sun to semi-shade.

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