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Based on the eminently sensible idea that fresh growing leaves have more flavour and texture than bagged leaves, Andrew Johnson, based in Yorkshire, developed Living Salads. The trays of growing baby leaves also offered another advantage as they were not subjected to chlorine washes and gas flushing. The challenge however, as Andrew found out was to get the different varieties to germinate and to grow to a consistent height, to offer good leaf and not too much stem, too keep them fresh in transit and to give them a good shelf life as unlike lettuce, baby leaves have no heart of energy and wilt easily.
Before he launched Andrew spent a fair amount of time researching the possibilities. His aims included growing in a pesticide-free environment and using as low an energy input as possible. To date he has succeeded and interestingly doesn’t even need to heat his greenhouses after March.
