Windowsill crops?

[dane_c1987]

Hi all,

I'm looking to start growing some vegetables in my kitchen as at the moment I'm not fortunate to have a garden (much to my dismay). I know tomatoes and chillies can be grown in small pots if you leave them on the windowsill but I was wondering if there was anything else that can be grown in such a fashion?

Many thanks!

[red]

south facing windowsills are best.

I've grown chillis very successfully. herbs are great.. basil and coriander do better inside anyhow imho

you could do salad leaves - how I grow lettuce anyway is to put a pinch of seed in a pot, then price out seedlings and leave the rest to grow in a bunch.. from them i take a leaf here and there. if you buy mixed lettuce (you dont *have* to go for salad bowl varieties) and sow a pinch now and then in a bowl or tray. when they ae looking good, start another etc.

cress, and other sprouted seedlings and seeds

you could try peppers and aubergines too. With plants such as peppers, aubergines and tomatoes, you will need a big pot (and therefore a windowsill big enough to take it) and a reasonable height.

[Thomzo]

On my north facing kitchen windowsill, at the moment, I have:
- three aloe vera plants (vital for healing burns and cuts),
- a parsley that I bought three years ago from the supermarket
- an apple mint bought from a garden centre earlier this year, and
- a basil, bought this year from the supermarket.

They all seem to be doing well, watered regularly with weak tea (just black please, no milk or sugar).

Zoe

[Green Aura]

You don't say how much room you've got but it might be worth thinking about where to grow and what varieties - go for something like tumbler tomatoes and then (if allowed) you could grow them from a hanging basket from the top of the window - put some basil in with it and and that's a couple of things out of the way - and very pretty too.

Red mentioned sprouting and that's a fantastic way of getting quick results, major vitamin etc boost, and tasty salads, really quickly from a very small space. And you don't have to buy expensive seeds - you can use pretty much any veg seeds plus things like alfalfa and spice seeds that you can get in huge quantities from the healthfood shop or even baking section. Chickpeas are fantastic sprouted, as are sunflower and pumpkin seeds.....the list goes on. There's loads of info online, with whole sites dedicated to sprouting - some "interesting" recipes on some of them

I concur with the salad leaves, and also, if you've got the space, you can grow radishes and the tiny round carrots (can't remember their name). Both are quick growing.

The other thing I would suggest is investing in one of those trays, usually marketed as greenhouse trays I think. They do different sizes so you might get one to fit - you'll get far more plants in one of those than on individual saucers.

You'll have them growing everywhere before long

[shiela_robins]

herbs that can be potted are usually nice on the window sil... but hey I like the aloe vera... i have a couple so im gonna move them! they are great for burns arent they!

[bobby280]

Water it with tea? Would leftover gren tea be ok and what benefits does this have?

cheers

[Thomzo]

Hi
Tea is a good alround houseplant food. Someone on here mentioned it years ago and it's all I use on the indoor crops (I'm a tad reluctant to use chicken manure indoors - even I can smell it).

Zoe

[fran]

I've been growing oriental leaves on my kitchen window sill, which are great in stir-frys. They are like the cut and come again lettuce leaves.

[Gem]

My inside crops (past and present) which have been successful -
- Basil (mine only survive the winter inside the house) and most other herbs - Mint, sage, lemon balm etc. Only one I haven't tried inside is rosemary as it gets so big but I guess you could just keep cutting it back..
- Aloe vera
- Sweet, chilli, bell peppers - Need a big pot and plenty of feeding (herbal teas are also good plant feed as well as regular tea)
- Aubergines need even bigger pots than peppers but do very well inside (expect small aubs though)
- Tomatoes I have find do quite poorly inside so unless you are flush with window sill space I would give it a miss.
- I have grown leeks in those deep salad tray things, which didn't get particularly big but still good as an early picker and salad item.
- Salad of all kinds do well in pots so salad mix, spinach. Even chard I expect would do ok though Ihave only grown it outside...

I'm sure there are plenty others but I forget.

Good luck to you, sad you don't have a garden but I do find that lining all my windows with plants make for a very cozy atmostphere in the home :)

Gem