Appetizing Indoors Gardens
By Mona Ankeny 

How to grow the ingredients for your salad indoors.

Growing the ingredients for your salad is a fresh delight. Doing it indoors where the picking is easy is even better. An indoor harvest may not be large, but what you do get will be tastier than anything at the market. 

To begin you need a sunny window. A window that faces south is preferable one that is not obstructed by buildings or trees, so the plants can get plenty of light. Be aware of the temperatures of the window, if the glass is very cold, do not let leaves touch it, or they will be damaged. Tomatoes and cucumber need a little more light than other plants. If necessary, you could easily put up two fluorescent lights (40 or 20 watts), over a shelf or bookcase or any where you have some room. Leave the lights on 16 hours a day to give extra illumination.

To grow vegetables and herbs indoors what you need is hanging baskets or planters, 4 inch pots, soilless mix or packaged soil. For plants; fill the hanging planters and pots 1/3 full of soil. Place the plants and fill in firmly with more soil up to 1 to 2 inches of the rim, then thoroughly water the plants. 

For seeds; if you are planting cucumbers from seeds use a planter, fill pots 2 inches from the rim. Plant 4 to 6 seeds in each pot, cover with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of soil. Pat the soil down and water, keep moist. Turn pots and planters weekly about a quarter turn. Feed cucumber and tomato plants when they flower then again when it forms fruit, then monthly thereafter. Replant lettuce and radish as you harvest. 

For herbs; fill pots 2 to 3 inches, taking the herb's rootball size into consideration. If you use soil mix put in each pot a handful of vermiculite. The soilless nixes have vermiculite, perlite, compost, and peat moss in it and it weighs less, so it is good for windowsill boxes. Plant the herbs in 4 inch pots leaving 1/2 inch space from the rim and water well. Then set the pots in a window box. 

Do not over water, and feed with a water soluble fertilizer only once a month. If you have problems with spider mites or the such do not spray with insecticide, just take the pot to the sink and spray it with water thoroughly from the sink spray. If your windowsill is not large enough for a window box you can sit the pots in matching saucers on your small sill. Clip herbs as often as you please.

 
Visit "Hobby Mail" at http://agreatplace.com as information only. 

E-mail Mona: i.write@cloh.net

Related Articles:

Welcoming Herbs Into Your Vegetable Garden
Many garden books recommend that gardeners plant their herbs close to the kitchen for quick and easy harvest. While this is good advice, the reality may be that it isn’t practical to your particular situation.

Everyone Can Grow Sunflowers
Sunflowers are easy, and inexpensive to grow, and yes, everyone can do it!

Chives: The easy, enjoyable herb!
Chives are one of the easiest and most enjoyable herbs you can grow. They are the first to pop up in the spring, and are often ready to harvest before we have gotten our last frost!

Lemons: Sunshine for Every Occasion
Lemons are so versatile for main dish recipes,
garnishes and vegetables, but lemon desserts and beverages
add a bit of sunshine to the table!