Video: growing cucumbers and tomatoes on the windowsillIn fact, it is not. Some types of vegetables and herbs can be grown all year round, having built a mini garden on the windowsill. What can I grow on a windowsill?
Naturally growing potatoes at home, zucchini, pumpkins and other large vegetables will not work. Root crops do not have enough space, courgettes themselves are too large.
But for the New Year's table you can get a crop:
- tomato;
- cucumbers that do not require insect pollination;
- various greens( dill, cilantro, parsley);Green onions
- ;
- Bulgarian or hot peppers;
- medium sized cabbage;
- spices of different varieties( basil, coriander, mint, thyme and others);
- small carrots.
Constructing a garden on the windowsill with your own hands
In order to grow fresh vegetables and greens on your windowsill you need:
- to build mini beds from boxes or flower pots;
- to think about what crops to plant;
- purchase the necessary care and planting tools;
- buy soil and fertilizers;
- take care of additional lighting and temperature control.
Before the start of planting, we develop a garden project on a windowsill. In this matter, you can fully rely on your imagination. To obtain additional space in a limited space, it is advisable to equip containers with intended landings in several levels. This can be done with the help of special or furniture brackets, which are commercially available and are inexpensive.
Read also: Cherry Tomatoes - growing at home on the window sill
LED lighting lamp of a special spectrum( read about the choice of lamps here), which is located above all levels of the mini garden, is perfect for additional lighting. In autumn and winter, depending on weather conditions and the natural illumination of the window sill, plants additionally require 120 - 300 W per each m² of surface. It is necessary to turn on the lighting every day. The average daily lamp life is 4 to 7 hours.
In severe frosts, when the air temperature outside falls below 20 º C, the garden on the windowsill must be warmed. This can be done simply by closing the window, which blows cold curtains or blinds. In extreme cold, plants can temporarily be covered with a covering material or loose tissue.
Additional moisture can be obtained by placing saucers with fresh water between plants or using a purchased air humidifier. If the apartment has animals, then this method of obtaining moisture will not work. In this case, the plants are sprayed from a room spray.
Making a garden on the windowsill with your own hands is not difficult, but growing crops requires some skills.
Read also: What kind of fertilizer does raspberry need in spring, summer and early autumn
Preparing for planting
Before you start sowing seeds, you must prepare the boxes with the ground. To do this, a layer of expanded clay or other drainage material with a thickness of at least 1 cm is poured at the bottom of purchased or self-made boxes.
Ground is poured on the drainage layer. The easiest way to buy ready-made soil mix in a specialty store, but you can cook it yourself.
For this, they mix it in equal proportions:
- garden land;
- field land;
- turf layer;
- peat;
- humus;
- lining materials such as perlite or coarse sand.
Recommendations for obtaining an ideal soil are conditional. It should be remembered that for each plant the selection of the land should be made individually.
Before sowing, the seeds, for better and faster germination, you need to soak for a day in water or wrap in wet gauze.
The depth of planting seeds of various plants, as well as the main recommendations for growing are indicated on the back of each package. Experienced experts recommend to strictly adhere to these rules.
Plants requiring pre-cultivation of seedlings can be planted in two ways:
- plant the seeds in a seedling box and, after germination, swoop down the plants immediately to a permanent place;
- to plant seeds in its place, having missed the stage of germination of seeds in a common box.
The result is the same in both cases. The only disadvantage of planting a plant at a permanent place without prior germination is the poor germination of seed.
Read also: Parsley on the windowsill: how to plant and grow
Caring for the garden on the windowsill
The garden on the windowsill in the winter requires much attention. The following should be monitored:
- soil moisture. It should not dry out and be excessively damp. At an early stage of plant development for irrigation it is more expedient to use a sprayer;
- additional illumination of plants;
- compliance with the required temperature;
- soil compaction. From time to time, as in a normal vegetable garden, the land requires loosening and removal of weeds;
- timely feeding plants. The land in the garden on the windowsill is gradually depleted. The longer it is supposed to grow vegetables in one place, the more top dressing should be carried out, which can be carried out both with universal fertilizers and for specific plants.
With proper care, the garden on the windowsill( photo) will please the owners with a high-quality and abundant harvest.
Little dreamers can equip houses for their friends in the garden. Thus, they will be trained to take care not only of toys, but also of living beings - plants. In addition, a beautiful small garden on the windowsill will give a certain charm and additional unique interior space. And of course, fresh greens, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers grown in late autumn and winter.
Video: growing cucumbers and tomatoes on the windowsill
