In my ideal world I would skip out the backdoor into my luscious yard and pick a few leafy greens and vegetables out of my organic garden for a lovely summer’s dinner each night. But in reality, I am just trying to make sure I water my plants without starving or drowning them on a daily basis. So building a salad table just might save the day.

I hadn't been familiar with salad tables until a few weeks ago when a friend of mine was building one. I have been trying to greenify my thumb since moving to the Pacific Northwest, and creating this edible garden just might be the way to kick it up a few notches.

Salad tables can be any size which is great for urban gardeners and small spaces like balconies or rooftops. Since the table is made at waist level it's ideal for people with back or knee issues. Salad tables are used to grow shallow rooted leafy vegetables like lettuce, kale, herbs, and other plants. The 3.5" depth provides prime growing conditions; and this special above ground container allows for rapid growth, fewer pest problems and no weeds to battle.

You can expect to harvest one to two pounds of leafy greens per salad table cutting. Here is a pdf with instructions on how to build a salad table, plant your garden, and keep it thriving.

Related Posts: Martha Stewart Info and Video on DIY Salad Tables

Images: Marie Moreau and Gaten Coulaud, Steve Masley, 5 Dollar Dinners