which plants for a windowsill, indoors?

Legacy_user

Hi, I am after some ideas about indoor pot plants to grow in my flat. I have an East-facing windowsill and a South-facing one, so lots of bright daylight, and I would like to put another plant on each windowsill.

At the moment I have mother-in-laws tongue plants and 2 money trees. I would like to try and grow something different, but I must confess I am not very green-fingered. In the past I have tried christmas cactus, a prayer plant, and a yucca plant, but none of them seemed to survive my either under- or over-watering them Perhaps a lot of plants don't like being in the direct sunlight either?

Sometimes I hanker after getting a little bonsai tree, as I like the look of them, but I think it would require more knowledge and experience than I have! Has anyone got any suggestions for fairly easy plants to grow on a windowsill indoors?

milla

Have you thought of cyclamen ?

http://www.thejoyofplants.co.uk/richness-of-plants/plant-library/plant-details-page/Cyclamen/42

System

milla wrote: »

Have you thought of cyclamen ?

http://www.thejoyofplants.co.uk/richness-of-plants/plant-library/plant-details-page/Cyclamen/42

They look lovely, but it says they need partial shade. Maybe it wouldn't like being on a windowsill in the direct light?

yoyoegg

Spider plant, succulents like aloe on the south. Also your fresh herbs like mint and parsley for cooking.

Maidenhair/bird's nest ferns, lucky bamboo on the east. Maybe moth orchids?

Re. watering, I just wait until a pot feels 'light', then dunk the pots into a bowl of tepid water with some BabyBio and leave it for 30mins then return to window sill. IMHO that's better than daily watering from the top, esp. in winter.

That said, I picked up several 50p moth orchids from the bargain bin at B&Q and am puzzling about how best to bring them back to health...

lostinrates

Pelagoniums. ( geraniums). Scented seem slightly fussier but do ok here. The normal ones often have great scent anyway, especially red ones. Easy peasy and cope with neglect here and love sun.

Helen2k8

Christmas cactus and cyclamen both prefer non-direct sun (my cactus is now flowering on the hearth as opposed to by window).

How warm do you tend to keep your flat? This might lead you to certain plants

System

It never really gets cold. I put the heating on for about 10 minutes at a time and the place gets warm quite quickly.

I like the lucky bamboo, but apparently they don't like being in the direct sunlight either..

blossomhill_2

Definitely a vote for Oyster Plant tradescantia spathacea from me - loves light, tolerates shade, likes water, tolerates drought, easy to take cuttings, can grow it compact or let it trail, difficult to kill ... LINK

System

I love the look of the Oyster Plant thanks, I will try and find one at the garden centre.

I had a thought about possibly growing a tomato plant or two on the South facing sill. Are tomato plants fairly easy to grow?

RAS

avogadro wrote: »

I love the look of the Oyster Plant thanks, I will try and find one at the garden centre.

I had a thought about possibly growing a tomato plant or two on the South facing sill. Are tomato plants fairly easy to grow?

Like weeds. But unless you want to spend all summer peerig through a urtain of leaves consider the following.

They do like a lot off water if they are in pots - a large pot may be easier/safer if you can stand it on the ground; otherwise the heavy plant wil casue the dry pot to tip over.

Please choose a cordon variety if you choose a full size plant (bushes can be a sprawling 4 foot high and diameter plus a bit)

There are some small or very small varieties for windows and patio.

Consider growing chillies if you like them - they would love the set up.

Mollymoonlight

avogadro wrote: »

Sometimes I hanker after getting a little bonsai tree, as I like the look of them, but I think it would require more knowledge and experience than I have! Has anyone got any suggestions for fairly easy plants to grow on a windowsill indoors?

Why not try a little bonsai ficus? They're pretty easy to keep by comparison to the more traditional japanese elm etc, and an awful lot less temperamental. I don't know about keeping it on your windowsill though, they're not really fond of direct sunlight. Good luck!