Soup greens clean or peel, wash and roughly dice. Halve the onions. Wash thyme, shake dry. Press the garlic cloves. Cut parsley leaves from the stems and use them for other purposes.
Put the soup greens, onions and garlic in a large wide pot. Add about 2 litres of cold water, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of salt, peppercorns, cloves, parsley stalks and thyme.