The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A lettuce table—often called a Salad Table—is a shallow, elevated frame filled with growing mix and built with a mesh bottom for drainage. It lets you grow salad greens on a patio or near the kitchen door without digging a garden bed. The University of Maryland Extension’s standard design measures 58 by 33 inches and stands 36 inches high, though its dimensions and leg height can be adjusted. This soil-based design is different from hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), which uses channels, a reservoir, and pumped nutrient solution.
What is a lettuce table?
The University of Maryland Extension describes its Salad Table as a shallow frame with a mesh bottom that supports growing mix while allowing water to drain. The design was developed in 2009. The frame can sit on legs, sawhorses, or other supports, so you can set its height and location to suit the space.
Extension explains that when roots reach the mesh and air, growth at that point stops and the plant responds by producing more roots in the growing mix. An elevated table can make tending easier and may help reduce problems from rabbits and groundhogs, though the result depends on the site. A movable setup can also be repositioned to follow spring or fall sunlight or to avoid excessive direct sun and heat in summer.
Do not confuse a soil-filled salad table with hydroponic NFT. NFT sends nutrient solution through growing channels from a reservoir using a pump; it is a different system with different equipment and maintenance needs. See Virginia Cooperative Extension’s NFT overview.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- LARGE PLANTING SPACE: 8.4 cubic feet of space can support your choice of flowers, succulents, vegetables, and more
- PROPER DRAINAGE: Six drainage holes help the roots aerate and allow excess water to escape, encouraging long-term growth while helping prevent rot or mineral build-up
- ALL-WOOD CONSTRUCTION: Naturally durable Chinese fir wood provides a durable, weather-friendly structure that will avoid warps and sagging over time
- ERGONOMIC HEIGHT: The 30-inch tall design removes the need for bending or kneeling, preserving your back and knees as you tend to your balcony, deck, or patio garden
- PROTECT YOUR PLANTS: An elevated bed discourages pets, rodents, and other animals from invading your garden space and ruining your hard work; OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 72"(L) x 24"(W) x 30"(H); WEIGHT CAPACITY: 300 lbs.
Table or box: which size fits your space?
| Design | Published dimensions | Growing area or volume | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Salad Table | 58 × 33 inches; frame 3½ inches deep; overall height 36 inches | 11.1 square feet; 2.8 cubic feet | Legs or other supports; dimensions and leg height can be adjusted |
| Salad Box | 21 × 15 inches | 2 square feet | Designed for a flat surface |
These are the University of Maryland Extension’s documented designs, not required dimensions for every build. A box suits a smaller footprint and needs a flat place to sit; the larger table offers more growing area and can be elevated for easier access. The Extension sources do not provide directly comparable lifecycle costs or a controlled trial of the options. For the published plans, see the overview of Salad Tables and Boxes and the construction guide.
How to build the standard table
The Extension plan uses untreated framing lumber, 2½-inch galvanized deck screws, staples, roofing nails, a 3-by-5-foot roll of aluminum window screen, and a 3-by-5-foot roll of ½-inch mesh galvanized hardware cloth. Listed tools include a hand saw, wood rasp, carpenter square, hammer, tin snips, drill and bit, staple gun, screwdriver bit, tape measure, leather gloves, and safety goggles.
Rank #2
- Each raised metal garden bed size: 4×2×1ft ,7.14Cu
- Upgraded quality and structure: raised garden beds outdoor are made of Q195 galvanized metal sheet, double-layer anti-corrosion galvanizing and oval structure design, which is more beautiful, can withstand greater pressure at the interface, is not easy to loose, and the interface will not Deformed and can be reused for many years.
- Easy to set up, this galvanized stock tank only takes about 5 minutes to easily assemble and continue planting plants.
- Open base: This planter raised garden bed metal galvanized is designed with an open base, which can effectively avoid water accumulation and decay, protect the roots of plants, and allow the roots to better absorb nutrients
- Double thickness: The average thickness of this galvanized planter galvanized sheet reaches 0.78mm, and the thickest part can reach 1.56mm, which is extremely stable. Compared with the ordinary rectangular elevated garden bed with a thickness of 0.3mm, it will be the right choice for you. buy it! ! !
The frame is divided into three sections. The guide specifies 58-inch sides and 30-inch crosspieces, with internal crosspieces dividing the growing area into equal sections. Window screen is attached beneath the frame and hardware cloth provides structural support. Use the official diagrams and full instructions for exact cuts, fastening, and assembly; a summary is not a substitute for the build plan.
The Extension overview lists about $35 for construction materials and about $20 for seeds, fertilizer, and growing medium. These are the page’s estimates, not current retail quotes; material and input prices change. Review the construction guide before buying materials.
Rank #3
- MOBILE GARDEN ON WHEELS — Two all-terrain wheels and an ergonomic handle let you roll a 200+ lb planted bed wherever sunlight goes. Move your garden across patio, balcony, or backyard in minutes.
- DRAINAGE FOR CONTAINER GROWING — Built-in drainage openings and bottom channels help excess water leave the planting area.
- 32" STANDING HEIGHT — Garden without kneeling or back strain. Five drainage holes and dual cross-channels prevent waterlogging, keeping roots healthy during heavy rain.
- GROW VEGETABLES AND HERBS — Ideal raised bed for tomatoes, herbs, flowers, and greens on patios, balconies, decks, and backyards. Detachable bottom shelf stores tools and supplies.
- ASSEMBLY AND OUTDOOR CARE — Hardware and assembly instructions are included. Protect scratches in the surface coating promptly and follow the care instructions to reduce corrosion during outdoor use.
What to plant and when
Leaf lettuce is a natural choice, but the Extension also recommends a range of greens and herbs. Its listed leaf lettuce cultivars include ‘Red Sails,’ ‘Salad Bowl,’ ‘Merlot,’ ‘Black Seeded Simpson,’ ‘Green Deer Tongue,’ ‘Red Deer Tongue,’ ‘Antares,’ and ‘Bronze Arrowhead,’ as well as Buttercrunch and romaine types. Other options include arugula, kale, mustard greens, broccoli raab, mizuna, komatsuna, endive, parsley, cilantro, basil, spinach, Swiss chard, orach, and purslane. Many of the listed cultivars can be harvested as baby leaves. See the full Extension crop list for descriptions.
For Maryland, Extension says most salad greens grow best from April through June and September through October. Local climate, weather, and crop variety affect timing, so use this as regional guidance rather than a universal calendar.
Rank #4
- Size: The garden bed measure is 46"L x 23.6"W x 17"H. The planter box provides ample space for planting vegetables, fruits, flowers and other plants.
- Open Base: This planter raised bed is designed with an open base to prevent water accumulation and decay.
- Safety Rubber Edging: Raised Garden beds equipped with safety rubber edges for protection and reinforcement, improving comfort and gardening experience.
- Easy to Install: Galvanized raised garden bed kit with detailed assembly instructions and accessories package. It can be assembled and used in a short time.
- Oval Garden Bed: Thickened oval structure design is more durable and sturdy, not easy to deform, and has improved anti-corrosion and rust resistance.
How to sow, space, water, and feed greens
Sow in rows and thin seedlings
The Extension planting method uses rows about 4 inches apart, with seeds roughly 1 inch apart in each furrow, covered by about ¼ inch of growing mix. Once seedlings are growing, thin most salad plants to 1–2 inches apart. Wider spacing means fewer plants, but each has more room to grow larger. You can cut extra seedlings at the surface rather than pull them and disturb nearby roots.
Keep the mix moist
Keep the growing mix moist after sowing. After seedlings emerge, daily watering is usually needed. The Extension’s approximate daily amounts are one gallon for a full Salad Table and one quart for a Salad Box; heat, rainfall, and conditions in the container affect actual need.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Best Value
- Multifunctional Design: This garden planter is separated into two growing areas for different plants or planting methods. The baffle can be removed to form a bigger growing area.
- Practical Use: With this plants box, you can cultivate plants like vegetable, flower, or herbs in your patio, yard, garden, and greenhouse, making it more convenient to manage.
- Simple Assembly: This divisible garden bed is built in a simple yet stable structure by heavy-duty screws and tight connection piece by piece. It is very easy and quick to put them together.
- Flexible DIY: The corner posts have been upgraded that the number of slotting on the posts is increased from 2 on the opposite 2 faces into 4 on 4 faces. Such a change enables users to combine two or more such planting beds more flexibly and fixedly.
- Stable Construction: Our planting raised bed has a piece of complete side plate at each side of the garden bed. It is fixed firmly without leakage of soil. The whole structure is very stable, and the installation is very easy.
Provide nutrients
Commercial growing media and compost alone may not provide enough nutrients for high yields. The Extension advises incorporating fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and following the product label. If the mix contains 50% compost, it advises using half the fertilizer amount and waiting to apply it until seedlings are growing. See the planting, fertilizing, and watering guidance for details.
How long does it take to grow salad greens in a salad table or salad box?
Under the University of Maryland Extension’s guidance, baby greens are ready at 4–6 inches in about 25–40 days; mature greens at 6–10 inches take about 40–60 days; and microgreens at 2–3 inches take about 12–24 days. Lettuce seeds generally germinate in 6–10 days under the guide’s conditions. Temperatures below 50°F or above 80°F slow germination. These are Extension estimates, not guarantees: weather, cultivar, light, and care affect the schedule.
How far apart should the plants be?
Sow seeds roughly 1 inch apart in rows about 4 inches apart, then thin most salad plants to 1–2 inches apart as they grow. Choose wider spacing if you want fewer, larger plants rather than a denser baby-leaf harvest. The Extension’s full planting instructions explain the method.
When and how to harvest
For cut-and-come-again harvesting, use scissors to cut plants close to the growing mix while leaving the base in place. Extension says another harvest may be ready in 3–4 weeks, and occasionally a third cutting is possible. Its separate crop-cycle guidance describes a first harvest about 25–40 days after planting and a second 25–30 days later, followed by removing spent plants and composting them or incorporating them into the mix. Replant when plants become weak, bitter, or unproductive.
The University of Maryland Extension reports 1–2 pounds per cutting for a Salad Table and describes an approximately eight-week crop cycle. That is the Extension’s published figure, not a guaranteed yield for every table or growing condition. Its overview values that quantity of pre-cut, bagged greens at $0.75 per ounce, or $24–$48 per table per eight-week cycle. The same page estimates three plantings per year in Maryland and an annual store value of $72–$96. These are illustrative valuations, not current market prices or promised household savings. Read the Extension harvesting guidance and its overview and valuation notes.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
