Pining for a sunny yard to get your garden going? If you have windows, then you can start working out your green thumb with indoor container gardening.
There are a few important benefits to growing some plants indoors. The main one is that your garden is almost completely protected against pests and bad weather. It can also be a lot nicer to do your chores inside, rather than out in the hot sun.
Ideally, you should have your plants in south-facing windows to get the most light you can. Plants that prefer shade will do fine in any window, or even on a table in the middle of the room. Light that comes in through window glass gets magnified, so a plant can get very hot even though it’s indoors. Not all plants need so much heat, so use a small thermometer in your growing areas. If it gets far hotter than outside temperatures would be, you need to block the sun slightly or move your plants a little farther from the window.
Water when the soil is dry to the touch, and make sure you use containers that have good drainage and a tray underneath them. A shot of natural fertilizer or compost a few times throughout the season will keep the nutrients up.
The best plants for gardening in the window are herbs and
other leafy vegetables. Basil, mint and thyme will all do very well in any sunny spot. A pot or two of lettuce would give you fresh greens too.
You can try out some larger vegetables, but choose smaller plants whenever possible, particularly dwarf or mini versions. Not only do they take up less space, they will require less light and energy to produce for you. Cherry tomatoes and miniature cucumbers are a couple of great examples.
Do a little research on pollination too. Without the usual host of flies and bees, your plants will not naturally be pollinated, which will mean no fruit. As long as you grow more than one plant, you can do the job yourself with a light paintbrush.