Starting window sill garden- questions

[johnathan]

Starting window sill garden- questions

Hi all

Im sorry if this is a bit of a basic post.
I am looking at making a start on my window sill garden. I live in an apartment so it’s the best I have atm.
I am wanting to try grow things like herbs, chillies, mixed salad leaf etc as these are things we use a lot off. Looking at multi map I think my apartment view is east. Slight rotation to the south but very slight. I hope this is good enough? I believe south is best.
I am looking to go down to the local garden centre or nursery to buy some trays, seed/ plants etc. though I don’t know what im looking for bit more reading hopefully I should be ok.

But do you guys and gals have any suggestions as to what can be grown. And also I assume things will be seasonal, and wonder if someone could quickly talk me through that or show me where to look.

Thank you very much

johnathan

[Millymollymandy]

First of all, is this inside or outside?

You should be able to get windowsill type planters with saucers from any garden centre. If they are outside you will need to fix them securely so they don't fall on passers by beneath!

Salad stuff will be OK east facing but I'm not sure about chillies, which really need south facing and as much sun as possible - and to be outside! Most herbs should do OK in a windowbox in an east facing position although certain herbs like full sun but I think they'll still grow OK.

[johnathan]

it will be inside.
that is a shame about the chillies. was looking forward to some home grown of them.

going to the garden centre/ nursery this today or tomorow so will see what i find aswell

[Millymollymandy]

Oh. I have never grown anything much indoors apart from raising seedlings so I've no idea what things can be grown or not like that. But hopefully someone who has grown herbs etc insde will be able to help.

I do grow basil indoors as outside it gets too tough in the sun and they survive on a north facing cool windowsill all through the winter.

[Fizzy Izzy]

I have two window boxes outside the window containing lettuces, radishes, basil, mint and parsley. All are doing well so far - and my apartment faces east too! Inside on the window sill I have small cherry tomoto plants and peppers.

I can't really say how well they will do yet because it's my first year trying this. Good luck to you and let me know how you get on :)

[johnathan]

tomatoe and peppers plant, awsome.

do people think it would be better to get a packet of seeds for the herbs and mixed leaf etc, or best to but them already in a pot and growing?
i take it you bought the cherry tomatoes already potted?

ive found most herbs and leaf etc seem to be all the same time when comes to harvesting them, according to the packets. i though herbs grew all year round? sure when i was young my dad had a little herb plot outside and sure it was year round. though that was a while ago and i tend to forget alot haha

[StripyPixieSocks]

We grow on outside window ledges (and hanging baskets)

Sage
Chives
Parsley
Lavender
Thyme
Rosemary
Mint
Spring Onions
Tarragon

We did have alot more but some stuff died off like the Basil and we haven't gotten around to re-growing any.

You can grow tomatoes in hanging baskets too (if you can get some up) there are even special varieties which hang down for baskets.

Spring Onions are great just cut the roots off shop bought onions and plant them just under the surface of some compost and just keep cutting them off at the base when they have grown and they keep growing and growing. We haven't bought Spring Onions for well over a year now!

You can also grow Bay trees indoors as well and if you have a dark room or box you can grow Mushrooms!

We live in a first floor flat with no garden access so we are like you, trying to cram in as much growing stuff as possible until we get somewhere with a garden :)

[Millymollymandy]

do people think it would be better to get a packet of seeds for the herbs and mixed leaf etc, or best to but them already in a pot and growing?
i take it you bought the cherry tomatoes already potted?

I'd buy any perennial herbs that you want and pot them on into your windowsill tubs otherwise you will be waiting a long, long time for herbs to pick - next year in some cases! - plus you would have way too many plants. You could try growing basil and parsley from seed but that will take 2-3 months before you have plants big enough for picking. You'd be better off buying the pots of herbs they sell in the supermarkets, especially the basil as they are crammed full of many plants and you could repot them individually allowing the plants to thicken up.

One herb I would recommend growing from seed is coriander as this is very quick growing and goes to seed just as quickly, so you need to keep on sowing it throughout the growing season. Dill is similar but it grows very tall (about 4 foot high) so I'm not sure what it would do in a pot indoors - you could just chuck the plant when it gets too big then keep sowing seed in pots to harvest when young.

A lot of the herbs we grow are perennial but they will die back in winter outdoors then come back to life again in the spring. Parsley is a biennial (goes to seed its second year, therefore needs to be sown afresh each year) and coriander is an annual. Basil dies outside in the winter but can be kept alive indoors but it's best to sow afresh each year for new healthier plants.

[Alwaysautumn]

Currently living on my south west facing windowsill are parsley, chives, basil, thyme, coriander, mint, dill and tomatoes. I’ve grown them all from seed and while it has taken longer it was cheaper. I made my sowings in January and I’m only now getting a crop.

That is with the exception of coriander which has come and gone and I’m now on my second sowing.

You can get cut and come again lettuces which I’m told do well inside. Currently mine are all outside but I’m thinking of trying an indoor crop as it gets colder. Or make scissor salads of sprouted buckwheat and sunflower seeds. You grow them in a thin layer of soil until you get a micro vegetable. I’m looking to try this in the next couple of weeks.

There is also sprouting. I’m currently addicted to home sprouted mung beans. Nicer than the supermarket stuff and very nutritious even if they don’t turn you into superman like some claim. You don’t even need a windowsill for sprouts just a jar and some beans.

Wheatgrass is also supposed to be easy to do but I don’t like it so I’ve never tried.

All of my windowsill plants are doing well now but last year they where completely covered by black fly. I was told that it is a problem with growing indoors. I hope this year I can minimise it.

[juperwort]

I grow peppers & chillis on my inside windowledge at work. The peppers were grown from seed from one I was having for tea. I get small, 10 - 13 cm fruit, before I harvest.

[SarahJane]

I have grown peppers and chillis on my window sills this year and they are doing really well. Last year I grew a range of herbs and kept them on the kitchen window sill, ideal for when you are cooking.