Windowsill Growing

Emielou

Hi
I live in an apartment with zero outdoor space - loads of windoswills though. Does anyone grow on windowsills? What plants would you recommend? Does it matter which way my windows face? Any tips and experiences will be very welcome - I'm desperate to show my country friends that I can join the grow your own revolution despite my city pad!:j

katholicos

Someone wiser than I will answer more thoroughly, but i just wanted to say that I think it's great that you are not discouraged by the lack of outdoor space you have. Windowsill's are great for growing herbs and other low maintenance small veggies.

Just stumbled on this pdf about container/windowsill veg growing, maybe it will help.

WestonDave

You can certainly grow somethings indoors - beansprout type things can easily be grown indoors and on window sills, as will herbs. I would imagine some root veg like carrots (especially the "ball" varieties) should be possible in a deep pot or trough on the windowsill. Where you would struggle is with plants that will grow tall as they will tend to keep growing towards the light and getting very leggy. Dwarf french beans might also be something to think about.

Mischa

Hi! I lived in central London up to a last year and had a juliet balcony which had two window boxes on it and I used to grow chillies in them! Now I live in an apartment in a town centre which has lots of windows, but only one is south facing! I am currently growing cress, but have just bought some tomato seeds, chillies, aubergine, cucumber, etc to have a go at. I will rotate them all so that they each get to spend the day in the south facing window! My dad is very green-fingered and every year he grows tomatoes, carrots, chillies and potatoes in his garden (all right if you have a garden!!) I know with the potatoes he literally just put two in the ground out of the bag of spuds he bought from the supermarket and he grows enough produce for one person. I think it's great to grow your own food, because you know what's been done to it! And seeds are so cheap to buy, if you have the time, it's really worthwhile!

Emielou

Thanks guys.
I never thought I could do carrots but those ball ones look fab! I'm going to look through the seed websites tonight and get carrots, herbs and chillies. If I'm feeling brave I'll also get the dwarf beans. Do you think lettuce and radish will do alright?

Farway

Lettuce would, not sure on radish, may grow too quickly, but then my radishes are always rubbish even though I grew them as a child dead easily I just never seem to get good ones now

Emielou

Farway, I'll let you know how I get on with the radish then (yikes, what have I let myself in for!?!)

lynzpower

http://www.capitalgrowth.org/links/edible_roof_gardens/
Some interesting stuff on this site.

Megansmum

well done emielou on deciding to grow your own!

I would suggest "tumbling tom" tomatoes as they grow as a little bush and not high like others. Also mini cucumbers would be good to do indoors. Have a look on here for baby veg:


http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/baby-veg.htm

annie123

bbc dig in site, windowsill growing:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/digin/your_space/windowsill.shtml

gillian62

Some of the seed companies have patio sized plant sets, even Wilko's I think have a number of miniature plants.