Are You Making the Biggest Mistake in Windowsill Gardening?
If you have a windowsill, you can grow your own herbs and even some vegetables!
The great thing about windowsill gardening is that you can do it even in the tiniest apartment.
Or the largest house.
Or anything in between.
But there’s one big mistake that many people make when starting out with windowsill gardening.
It’s easy to avoid.
And if you don’t make this mistake, then you can easily set up a wonderful array of fresh, organic produce for you and your family!
What’s the mistake?
If you want to do windowsill gardening, you need to choose the right windowsill and the right plants. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it?
But most people don’t do this.
How can you tell?
The 2 keys factors are
- Amount of light
- Temperature
Light
Just how much sun do you need?
To grow plants successfully, you need an area which receives at least 4 hours of sun a day.
- If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing window is the best, but east and west-facing windows can also work. North-facing windows will greatly restrict what you can grow.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, north-facing windows give the most light, but may provide too much heat, and so may west-facing windows. Windows facing in the other directions may be best suited to indoor plants. If however you have shade outside the window (e.g. a patio or overhanging roof or blind), then north-facing windows may be suitable.
Tip: Don’t look only at window sills. Also consider kitchen worktops, small tables and other surfaces close to a source of light. All of these can be used to grow plants indoors!
If your growing space is dark, artificial light can take the place of sunlight.
If you don’t have much sunlight, grow salad greens and herbs that require less sunshine; but remember, they still require bright light.
Take a look around your home with a fresh viewpoint. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a suitable spot.
Tip: with indoor gardening, your ability to move a container from shade to sun and from a chilly location to a warm location almost assures success!
Temperature
Now consider the temperature of your home.
- Summer crops grow best at temperatures between 75° and 85°F (24 – 29C) in the daytime and 60° and 75°F (15-24C) at night.
- Autumn and winter or cool-weather crops grow best at temperatures between 60° and 65°F (15-18C) in the daytime and around 50°F (10C) at night.
Of course plants (especially herbs) can grow in temperatures outside these ranges – you just need to be more careful with the varieties you choose.
For example, it’s more difficult to grow lettuce in tropical conditions, as they prefer a cooler climate. Nonetheless it is possible – choose an oakleaf variety, give them some shade and never let their roots dry out.
Most herbs need full sun – at least 6 hours a day. But containers can really bake on a hot day, so if you live somewhere where temperatures soar, your herb container gardens may need to be shaded during the hottest part of the day.
Tip: Good air circulation indoors will help keep plants healthy.
If you use an air conditioner in the room where you’re growing your plants, you might need to humidify the air.
Tip: A bowl of water left close to the plants will work well if you don’t have a ‘proper’ humidifier.
Go Green!
Once you work out the best location and avoid the most common mistake, everything in windowsill gardening is really easy!
If you enjoyed this article, please Share, Like, Tweet or Pin it (buttons below) – thank you!
You might also like Is Lawn Green? and Edible Flowers
