Gardening in a jiffy

Summer's here and you want to garden. The catch: You live in a cramped city apartment. Here's a mini-gardening project that thrives indoors and takes 20 minutes. The result: an edible centerpiece.

*Add moist potting soil to a trough planter made of clay or plastic.

*Press the soil down to eliminate air pockets, just below the rim.

*Sow looseleaf lettuce or mesclun seeds thickly over the soil surface.

*Place in a warm, sunny spot and keep moist (but not too wet).

*Wait three weeks, snip away at your bounty, and enjoy a big salad!

For other weekend projects, such as drying flowers and making hanging baskets, visit the Web site www.garden.com