What plants can be grown at home on a windowsill?

In winter, there is a lack of fresh greens and vegetables from the garden. What can be grown on a windowsill to enjoy natural products? The list of crops suitable for apartment conditions is wide enough - from parsley and lettuce to tomatoes and cucumbers.

You can grow greens on the windowsill in winter or summer the same way as in the garden. But it should be borne in mind that some plants are quite demanding. In this article, we'll look at easy-to-care crops.

If you are a novice gardener, and therefore do not know what can be grown on the windowsill, then it is better to start with green onions, watercress, parsley. And spicy herbs - basil and rosemary - not only come in handy in the kitchen, but also spread their aroma throughout the apartment. More experienced hobbyists can start right away by growing cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.

Children will also like the winter garden. Even a toddler can grow green onions on a windowsill. Caring for plants will not only enthrall the child and give him a new and useful experience, but also provide him with vitamins.

Training

After you have decided what to grow on the windowsill, you need to prepare the pots, soil, seeds. The set is the same for most cultures. Experienced summer residents who know how to grow seedlings on the windowsill already have almost everything they need.

To arrange a vegetable garden on a windowsill, you will need deep boxes or wide flower pots for planting plants. They can be fitted with plastic covers to create a greenhouse effect. For these purposes, you can also use ordinary plastic bags.

Fill the pots with soil from a flower shop or a self-prepared substrate. It is better to refuse to use the land from the garden or vegetable garden, since insect larvae and weed seeds can remain in it. If the ground from the street is not prepared and ignited, then there is a high probability that one weeds can be grown on the windowsill.

You also need to prepare a container for settling water - delicate young plants should not be watered directly from the tap. You will also need a spray bottle or a small watering can.

Foil placed behind the plants to reflect sunlight is also helpful. If foil is not used, boxes and pots with plants must be turned 180 degrees daily, otherwise they will tilt towards the window and grow crooked.

If the plants are grown in spring and summer (planting in February-March), then they will have enough sunlight from the street. But a winter garden planted in the fall will require additional lighting. Fluorescent lamps are suitable for this.

It should be understood that only undemanding herbs can be grown on a windowsill in winter without backlighting, but you will not be able to get a good harvest of tomatoes without using phytolamps. In winter, on sunny days, you will need additional lighting in the evening, but in cloudy weather, the lamp will have to be turned on for the whole day.

Green onions

How to grow onions on a windowsill is shown to children in kindergarten. This is the easiest crop to grow at home, it does not require much maintenance, grows quickly and is very useful.

For forcing a feather, you can use both large onion sets (samples) and ordinary turnip onions. The feathers from the small bulb are more delicate, but the small head depletes quickly. A large onion produces abundant greens for a longer period.

Not only self-grown onions are suitable, you can also use those purchased in a supermarket or a store for summer residents. The easiest way to plant onions for forcing is in water. To do this, you need to take a small glass and fill it with plain water or nutrient solution. The bulb must be installed so that only the tip touches the surface of the liquid. You need to change the water every day.

When planted in water, the bulb can start to rot and give off an unpleasant odor. This can be avoided, since it is possible to grow onions on the windowsill with planting in the ground. Place the substrate in a shallow plastic box. If there are no drainage holes at the bottom of the container, then it is reasonable to pour a small drainage layer of expanded clay, pebbles, broken bricks, etc. to prevent root decay.

You do not need to deepen the heads, plant it tightly, the bulbs are not afraid of close proximity. Planting must be watered frequently, preventing the soil from drying out. Do not use all the seed material at once, it is better to split it into several portions and plant it with a difference of 2-3 weeks, then there will be enough fresh onions for the whole winter.

Green onions can be grown not only in crates. Forcing onions can be planted vertically. To do this, you can purchase a special flowerpot in a store for summer residents or make holes yourself in a plastic bottle filled with soil.

Watercress

What can a beginner grow on a windowsill? Another simple crop to grow on a windowsill is watercress. It is known for its beneficial properties, and its unpretentiousness makes it one of the most common salads to grow at home. Watercress is ready for use in 2-3 weeks after planting. The seeds can be purchased at the gardener's shop.

You don't need a deep container to grow lettuce; a regular tray will do. As a substrate, you can use a thin (about 3 cm) layer of clay or peat soil, folded several times cloth, cotton wool or paper towels.

You need to plant watercress densely so that the young plants support each other. Press the seeds a little into a damp substrate. The plant does not require additional lighting, it is enough to place it on the windowsill.

How to grow salad on a windowsill? The main thing is to prevent the soil from drying out, although you shouldn't pour the salad either. Does not like the plant and heat. The optimum temperature is not higher than 18 degrees Celsius. To avoid overheating in winter, it is enough to move the container with the salad closer to the window.

In order for the green watercress to be present on the table all the time, you need to plant it according to a scheme convenient for you. You can sow a new container every week or two, or add a small amount of seeds every 3-4 days.

Leaf salad

Growing lettuce is already a little more difficult. To know how to grow a salad on a windowsill, you need to take into account the variety of the plant being grown. The varieties Lollo Rossa, Lollo Bionda, Odessa, Vitamin, New Year, Red Credo show themselves best in an apartment.

In the fall and winter, lettuce will need additional lighting. If the room is hot and dry, the plant does not receive enough moisture, then the leaves will become bitter, coarse, and flower stalks form quickly. Lettuce loves moisture, coolness, feels good on a glassed-in balcony until late autumn.

Lettuce is planted in the ground quite tightly, at a distance of 1-2 cm. Before the first shoots, the container is covered to create a greenhouse effect.Over time, thinning will be needed at a distance of 4-5 cm. The plant needs watering and good lighting.

After the bushes begin to release arrows, they become unusable. They can be removed and new seeds can be planted in their place.

Parsley

Many housewives are wondering how to grow parsley on the windowsill. After all, it often takes only a few leaves of this plant, and you don't want to buy a whole package in the store. In spring and summer, parsley can be grown from seed. The plant is light-requiring, so in the winter it will need additional lighting. Seeds germinate rather slowly, but the bush will also serve for a long time. Parsley is not demanding at temperature, it grows well on the windowsill or on the balcony. The plant is hygrophilous, watering is abundant. In winter, water the parsley less often.

It will be possible to cut the first greens only after a month and a half, but it will be possible to do this for a whole year. Before planting, it is better to soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate. You can plant parsley in small containers, in peat cups or directly in flowerpots.

How to grow parsley on a windowsill in autumn and winter, because growing from seeds at this time is too long and laborious process? There is another way - forcing from the rhizome. This method is somewhat simpler and better suited for the autumn-winter period. Planting material can be prepared independently on a personal plot or bought at a regular grocery store.

The rhizome should be healthy, without signs of wilting, and the apical bud should be intact. The root crop must be placed in a pot and sprinkled with moist soil. Roots that are too long can be planted obliquely.

The first green shoots will appear within a few days after planting, and the leaves can be cut off in a couple of weeks. Greens will appear on the rhizome within six months.

Basil

What can be grown on the windowsill besides the usual onions, parsley, lettuce? Something more exotic like basil or rosemary.

The type of basil doesn't matter, either green or purple will do. Basil can be propagated using both seeds and cuttings. The plant is thermophilic - the optimum temperature is 20-25 degrees, and it is hygrophilous - good drainage and abundant watering are required.

Cutting is a quick way to grow basil. You can just buy a few twigs from the store, put them in water and after one to two weeks move the seedling with roots into a pot. Young shoots will be ready for cutting in a couple of weeks. It is better to cut side shoots.

Basil, planted with a cut, grows quickly, but blooms quickly too. As you know, after the beginning of flowering, the plant is unsuitable for food. To have fresh basil on your table all the time, you need to update the planting every 3-4 months.

Planting basil with seeds will take more effort. But such a bush will not bloom for about a year. Seeds need to be soaked, covered, sprouts must be transplanted into pots. It is better to grow basil using seeds in spring, since additional lighting will be needed in winter.

Rosemary

Rosemary in a clay pot on the windowsill will not only decorate the kitchen, but also come in handy when cooking. This plant can be grown in the summer in the country, and in the winter it will feel great at home.

You will need a wide pot in which a thick drainage layer is poured. Rosemary is picky about light and air. He prefers the south side, and in summer, the pot with the plant must be planted in the open ground, taken out on the balcony or out the window, otherwise the leaves will not accumulate enough essential oils.

For planting rosemary, both seeds and cuttings are suitable. The seeds of the plant have poor germination. They need to be soaked for 2 days, then put on the ground, without sprinkling on top, covered with a film and sprayed every day from a spray bottle.If seedlings do not appear after 4 weeks, new seeds are planted. When the seedlings release three or more leaves, they are planted in spacious pots.

It is easier to grow rosemary using cuttings. This requires a stiff plant shoot. It is placed in a container with water or wet sand, and after rooting, it is transplanted into a pot.

Rosemary likes frequent but moderate watering. It is better to overdry the soil than to fill it. With a lack of moisture, the lower leaves of the plant will begin to turn yellow, and with an excess, the roots will rot, which will lead to the death of the plant.

If in winter the plant is provided with a low temperature (up to 5 degrees), then in spring the rosemary will bloom. An adult plant needs to be constantly trimmed to form a bush.

Cucumbers

Growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter is a pretty tempting prospect. This can be done not only by an experienced gardener, but also by a beginner. Cucumbers grow quite quickly, you can get the first harvest in a month and a half.

Not every variety of cucumbers is suitable for growing on a windowsill. First, it must be self-pollinated. During flowering, the bush needs to be shaken daily for pollination to occur. Secondly, it will be much more convenient if the plant is bushy. Thirdly, an early variety is better suited for home cultivation. Finally, a shade-loving plant is ideal. You can grow cucumbers on the windowsill in the winter of the varieties Connie, Masha, Legend, Debut, Flight, Babylon. Knowing the necessary parameters, you can choose another variety.

Growing cucumbers at home has its own subtleties. After all, providing all the necessary conditions can be difficult. Cucumbers are photophilous, so windows on the south and east sides are suitable for growing them. If there is still not enough light, then additional illumination with fluorescent lamps will be required.

The temperature in the room should not be lower than 20 degrees, so you should not move the flowerpots too close to the cold window. Cucumbers are very fond of moisture, so you need to make sure that the soil does not dry out. The pot with the plant can be placed in a bowl of water. Leaves need to be sprayed with a spray bottle twice a day.

Tomatoes

It seems to many that growing tomatoes on a windowsill is very difficult and inaccessible to a beginner. But this is not at all true! Moreover, there are special varieties for indoor cultivation.

When visiting a gardener store, note that some seed packages say “Recommended for pot growing”, “Harvest on the window”, “Home garden”. And the names of the varieties themselves are speaking - Room surprise, Balcony miracle, Japanese room. There are also ampelous varieties that will look great in pots - Peruvian home, Cherry, Talisman.

Even if you don't find special indoor varieties, regular ones will do. Please note that these tomatoes should be determinant (undersized, or better dwarf), self-pollinated (for pollination, the bushes are shaken during flowering) and small-fruited. For example, Alaska, Bonsai, Bonsai micro, Pearl (red and yellow), Canada News, Minibel, Pinocchio, etc.

Tomatoes can be planted directly in large pots or pick the strongest sprouts. During flowering and fruit setting, tomatoes should be watered abundantly and the leaves should be sprayed.

The room where tomatoes grow must be regularly ventilated - plants do not like stagnant air. In winter, they need additional lighting. The plant needs to be fed periodically. The first fruits can be obtained in 3-4 months.

Tomato is a perennial plant. At home, with good care, it will bear fruit for several years. After a period of active fruiting, the bush needs to be transplanted into a larger pot and renewed by pruning the branches. In addition, the tomato can be propagated by cuttings. A plant grown from a cuttings will begin to bloom within a few weeks.

Sweet pepper

How to grow pepper on a windowsill? This is no more difficult than growing tomatoes. True, it will take longer to wait for the harvest - 5-6 months. But pepper is a perennial plant, with good care, annual transplantation and pruning, it will bear fruit for several years. The plant can be propagated not only by seeds, but also by cuttings. Caring for a pepper is also similar to caring for a tomato, but with one significant difference - if the tomato does not tolerate stagnant air, then the pepper is afraid of drafts, so it is better not to settle them on the same window.

Self-pollinated early-maturing varieties are best suited for growing in an apartment - California Miracle, Oda, Jupiter, Patio-Ivo.

Pepper needs good illumination, warmth, loose soil (it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil). This plant is not capricious, and will delight you with its fruits for a long time. Hot peppers can also be grown at home, but these plants should not be in the same room, otherwise cross-pollination will occur.

Sometimes I want to go out onto the balcony, like Jamie Oliver, pick up my own grown vegetables and herbs and stir something stunning out of them. And the balcony, by the way, looks much nicer if it does not store old pieces of iron that it is time to send to the landfill, but aromatic herbs and vegetables.

chose several interesting plants that take root well on the windowsill or on the balcony.

Pepper

On the windowsill, you can grow a hot pepper for diablo pizza. It will require a warm, bright place and varieties suitable for home cultivation: "Carmen", "Flint", "Ogonyok", "Ryabinushka", "Bride", "Indian Summer", etc.

The bushes are very cute and do not require large pots. Up to 50 fruits can be set on one plant. The optimum temperature is 25-27 degrees Celsius.

Carrot

For growing carrots at home, it is better to take mini-varieties such as "Parmex", "Sophie", "Vnuchka". They grow in 80-90 days and do not require much space - a pot or container is fine. You can also take a funny round variety "Round baby".

The soil for the carrots should be light and well-drained. The vegetable can be grown in cut plastic bottles. The optimum temperature is in the range of 13-24 degrees Celsius.

Mint

Mint is a non-capricious and undemanding plant. It can grow on your windowsill or balcony even in winter, if you arrange additional lighting. It can be grown from cuttings and seeds. If there is an opportunity to dig up a stalk in the country at home or from friends, it is better to use this method. Mint, grown from seeds, is not taken as actively, and it will take longer to wait for the harvest.

It is important to remember that the plant loves well-moisturized soil. And when choosing a place for it, keep in mind that the lighting should be good, but it is better to avoid direct sunlight. The optimum temperature for mint is 20-25 degrees with a plus sign.

Green onions

Growing green onions at home does not require any special dexterity. But nevertheless, it is worth considering some nuances: the bulb that you will plant should be round, firm to the touch and without any signs of rot, the root cup should be well-formed.

Immediately after planting, it is worth putting the onion in a cool, dark place so that the root system is better formed, and only then the feather will need a lot of light. The optimum temperature is 18-20 degrees, you should not overheat, because then the growth of greenery will stop.

Basil

Any kind of basil grows well in flower pots and boxes. It is better for him to allocate a sunny place, water well, keep warm and provide good drainage. For planting, you can use both cuttings and seeds. At the same time, the cuttings will quickly give the first harvest, but they will not last long, since they will bloom quickly. You will have to wait longer to harvest from seeds, but such a bush will also last longer.

The optimum temperature for basil is 20-25 degrees Celsius. In winter, backlighting is required for about 3-4 hours to increase daylight hours.

Cucumbers

To grow cucumbers on a windowsill or on a balcony, you should take a closer look at the hybrid varieties that are marked with the F1 icon. If all conditions are created for a plant, it can give 3-4 dozen fruits. Here you will have to tinker a little with the seedlings, but after transplanting into boxes, you will only need to water and cut the antennae.

Plants are planted in containers with a volume of at least 5 liters. It is important to remember that cucumbers are large water loaves and the ground should always be moist. The optimum temperature is 21-24 degrees Celsius.

Tomatoes

Dwarf varieties are usually chosen as home-grown tomatoes: Minibel, Florida Petit, Balcony Miracle, etc. You will have to take the most illuminated place in the apartment for this miracle. You will need to start with seedlings, then plant them in containers, tie them up, feed them and protect them from the cold. This is one of the most troublesome balcony crops, but pride in the work done and gardening talent is attached to the crop.

It is important to remember that tomatoes, like all plants, love water, but they can be easily poured over. Therefore, water should be done carefully. The optimum temperature is 23-25 ​​degrees Celsius.

Sorrel

Sorrel, in addition to its wonderful taste, is distinguished by the fact that it calmly tolerates shaded places. It can be grown from rhizomes of 2-4-year-old plants with buds or from seeds of such varieties as "Maikop", "Altai", "Odessa broadleaf".

It can grow at 5 and 20 degrees Celsius and even withstands small frosts. So on the balcony it can be kept until the last, and if the balcony keeps heat well, then it should not be cleaned for the winter. The leaves are cut at a height of 8-10 cm, this must be done carefully so as not to damage the growth buds.

Ginger

Ginger is not only a delicious seasoning, but also a beautiful plant. If you plant it at home, the shoots can grow up to a meter in height. Pieces of ginger root are planted, consisting of at least a couple of sections with live buds. If the root is dry, you can hold it in warm water for several hours to wake up the kidneys.

The root should not be planted very deeply, and until the first shoots appear, it should be watered very sparingly. Keep ginger in the light, but away from direct sunlight. The optimum temperature is 20-25 degrees Celsius.

A pineapple

To grow pineapple at home, you need to be patient and find a suitable fruit - purchased in the warm season and with an intact tail. The tail is cut with a knife, preferably without pulp, dried for 3-4 days in the light, and then germinated in clean river sand. When the roots appear, after about a month, it can be transplanted into a pot of soil.

Pineapple loves light, warmth and spraying. The fruit will appear about 2 years after planting. The optimum temperature is 23-30 degrees Celsius.

Strawberry

Strawberries can be grown at home all year round, in winter you will need to arrange lighting. To do this, you should choose remontant strawberry varieties that bear fruit more than once a season, but constantly, for example: "Yellow Miracle", "Queen Elizabeth", "Mount Everest". You can grow strawberries from seeds, but the easiest way is to buy ready-made seedlings. After 3-4 months, a couple of bushes will give new rosettes, and your plantation will increase by 3 times. Meanwhile, as with the germination of seeds, you will have to tinker.

Strawberries are afraid of the cold, so they should be taken out to the balcony only when the weather is warm. The optimum temperature is 18-24 degrees Celsius. It is important to remember that since there are no insects at home, you will have to pollinate the flowers yourself with a brush.

Thyme

Thyme is a wonderful herb. It is very fragrant, tasty and extremely unpretentious. Thyme naturally grows in dry areas with poor soil. Therefore, ruining it at home is not easy. The most important thing he loves is light. It is not afraid of direct sunlight, and it can be placed even where other plants will die. The only difficulty is watering: in the sun, the soil in a small volume of the pot dries quickly, and the thyme itself does not like waterlogging.

It also makes no sense to overdo it with fertilizers - thyme will not appreciate it. It can be grown both from cuttings and seeds.

What goodies grow in your home?

Dear friends, at the request of those of my readers who do not have summer cottages at all, and I really want to eat food grown with my own hands, I am starting a series of articles "Garden on the windowsill".

Since I myself have my favorite and dear summer cottage, I was not particularly interested in the issues of growing something there at home. As it turned out, absolutely in vain! Undoubtedly, specific knowledge of certain nuances is required here, but how much benefit and joy can be obtained from this process.

What can be grown at home?

1. Of course, herbs and herbs... It is relatively easy to grow them, you can start your gardening experience with the least whimsical specimens. And how pleasant it will be to eat fresh herbs in winter, inhale spicy aromas, brew fresh herbs in tea, take aromatic baths. The greenery will delight us, provide us with vitamins and bring a little spring and summer into the house.

The most popular herbs and spices for growing at home are:

• Green onions
• Parsley
• Dill
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Thyme
• Mint
• Melissa
• Spinach
• Sorrel

You can also grow lavender, rosemary, tarragon and other plants

2. The task will be more difficult grow vegetables in the apartment, but nothing is impossible in this. The network is replete with photos shared by proud amateur gardeners who were able to grow and, importantly, harvest tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers right in their apartment. So, if you do not have a summer cottage, and the spirit of gardening is in your blood, feel free to start laying your home garden.

What kind of vegetables do people grow at home:

• tomatoes (most often cherry, but sometimes other varieties of tomatoes)
• cucumbers
• bell pepper
• potatoes (can you imagine ??!)
• sweet potato
• mushrooms
• onion
• garlic

3. Exotic lovers will also be able to use their forces in an interesting direction for them. And in this matter, nothing is impossible. Our resourceful people grow lemons, kiwi, pineapples, tangerines, palms and other plants unusual for our places at home.

Of course, getting such pets for yourself, you need to be prepared that they can grow to a significant size and keeping them in an apartment can be problematic. So, before deciding to grow some kind of exotic, you need to carefully study, and what can grow out of this :)

5 reasons to grow something at home

1.At any time of the year, you can pamper yourself with fresh herbs, fresh vegetables grown with your own hands. And these are vitamins, strength and positive emotions.

2. Those who do not have their own summer cottage will be able to satisfy their desire to grow something. See how a wonderful plant grows from a tiny seed. Harvest and feed your loved ones with the fruits of your labors.

3. Often in winter summer residents are attacked by blues :) They yearn for the land, for their plants and plantings, they want to occupy their hands and thoughts with something. A home garden is the perfect solution. Growing something at home is a great opportunity to extend your summer cottage season, to improve your gardening skill. After all, in order to achieve harvests in an apartment, you will need to take into account many nuances, study this specific area, try and try, experimentally achieve a good result. And what else does an avid summer resident need? A home garden is a great challenge!

4. For a woman, growing something with her own hands is a great way to increase her energy. Without going into details, you can simply say that this will add strength, health and happiness to her. And if a woman is happy, her whole family will automatically be happy. After all, it is the woman who sets the atmosphere in the family.

5. Savings. Fresh greens in winter are often quite expensive. It is expensive, and some of your favorite fresh herbs cannot be found on sale.Some spices can be bought dried in supermarkets, but it is much more pleasant and healthier to use fresh herbs, which are also grown by you yourself.

Where to begin

So, you decided to start your own garden in your apartment. Where do you start?

1. First, you need to decide what you will plant. If you are a beginner gardener, it is best to start with a small number of plants. In addition, choose the most unpretentious, so that the first success will inspire you and you can decide on a larger and more exotic planting. The easiest place to start is with green onions, parsley, and cilantro. Mint and lemon balm also grow well. Pay attention to plant varieties. For home gardening, you need to choose early ripening, early varieties, since in an apartment, plants grow much more slowly.

2. Secondly, you need to study the requirements for the successful cultivation of each plant you choose. It can be easily found on the Internet or a little later right here on the site. I decided to make myself a home garden by all means and I will share my experience and knowledge gained.

3. Thirdly, you need to decide on the container, your "beds". Having studied the preferences of plants in point number 2, you will already know what kind of container you need. Some plants need space, some can grow in very limited spaces. Some plants will get along well with others in one container, while some require a separate "bed". But a prerequisite for all plants at home is drainage. It is imperative to fill the bottom of pots, containers or boxes with expanded clay, clay shards, pieces of brick, etc. It is good to use pallets in which excess moisture will accumulate.

4. Fourthly, you need to prepare the ground. Land from the beds is not suitable for a home garden. You need to buy land in special stores. It already contains the necessary ratio of all the necessary elements and there are no various weeds or pests.

5. Fifthly, you need to choose a place for our garden. Most plants require a lot of sunlight and therefore most often the garden is placed on the south or west side of the house. Additional lighting may be required in winter.

6. The sixth point of preparation is to come up with a design for your garden... Most fun and creative item. It is optional, but it can bring a lot of joy and beauty to your home. What people are not satisfied with at home! For your inspiration, I have prepared a selection of inspiring photographs.

This is just a small part of the ideas on how to grow plants at home. This was just an introductory article, and later I will definitely write in more detail how specific plants are grown at home. In the meantime, you can plan and choose what exactly you want to plant on your windowsill.

Write in the comments what you liked the most, and I will first of all post materials on your requests.

If you are already growing something at home, be sure to share your impressions. We are VERY interesting !!!!

You can also read on this topic:

In winter, you really want fresh herbs, fragrant berries, fruits and vegetables. I want to, but my hand unconsciously puts back the just taken package with Turkish tomatoes and cucumbers ... Just know how many real-life there is ...

Imagine: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and greens in the midst of winter, you can grow yourself without leaving your home - on your two or three windowsills! And along the way, create a summer cottage landscape right in your apartment. No, no, no kidding, if you decide today, and tomorrow you go to the store for seeds, then on March 8, the first cucumbers may already appear on your bushes, and the grown bushes of tomatoes, peppers and beans will make your windowsill look summer green and joyful !

And let us convince you that it is interesting, exciting, important, necessary and not difficult at all! We can grow at home cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet and bitter peppers, carrots, beans, garlic, celery, herbs ... oh-oh-oh, how many things!

Well, let's get it in order?

Cucumbers

Growing cucumbers at home is a very tempting idea. Just imagine: you wake up in mid-March, go to the window, pick a couple of young cucumbers from a green bush, and five minutes later there is a healthy vegetable salad on the table ... And what a smell all over the apartment!

If a thought flashed through you now: "Maybe I should try?" - here are some arguments to help you decide:

• Cucumbers grow very quickly: literally 7-9 weeks after planting, you can cut a salad from your greens!
• It is quite possible to grow cucumbers at home not only for a summer resident who has already "eaten a dog" in vegetable growing, but even for an inexperienced city dweller.
• And a control shot: just imagine how delighted your friends, colleagues and neighbors will be with young cucumbers on your windowsill! You will become an object of ah and ah for a long time))

Want to see how it might look? And here's how in this video:

Stop, stop, do not urgently run after the seeds that you have prepared for summer cottages! Everything is in order. First, we carefully read what you need to know and take into account when growing cucumbers at home.
 

Suitable varieties

Not all cucumber varieties are suitable for indoor cultivation. You need to choose

self-pollinated

hybrids ... It's best if they will

early maturing ... Even better - if they are also

bush ... And then -

shade-tolerant ))

Excellent proven themselves hybrids:

• ‘Marinda F1’
• ‘Onega F1’
• 'Masha F1'
• ‘Connie F1’
• ‘Legend F1’
• 'Claudia F1'
• ‘Tatiana F1’
• ‘Seryozha F1’

Good reviews are also about varieties:

• ‘Gribovchanka’
• 'Debut'
• ‘Zozulya’
• ‘Ragtime’
• 'Babylon'
• 'April'
• 'Flight'
• ‘Boyfriend’
• 'Athlete'
• ‘Kinglet’
• ‘NIIOH-412’
• ‘Cucaracha’

If you are just starting to grow cucumbers at home, choose from these varieties, you will not go wrong.

The necessary conditions

Cucumbers, like any other plant, have their own preferences. They are:

• photophilous, therefore, the eastern or southern side of the apartment (house) is best suited for growing them. If there is not enough light (and most often this is exactly the case), it will be necessary to organize additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.
• thermophilic, they need a temperature above + 20 ° C (at least + 22 ... + 24 ° C during the day).
• hygrophilous, therefore, the soil should always be moist (moderately, not overfilled).

Tomatoes

A red tomato is clearly not a winter or spring vegetable. Therefore, fresh tomatoes from your garden in April and May are an indescribable pleasure (and pride, whatever you say!).

Many do not dare to grow tomatoes in an apartment, fearing that they simply will not succeed. You know, the bushes strewn with red fruits on the windowsill are only at first glance "how difficult it is to be horrified." Anyone can grow tomatoes at home. Almost everyone grows flowers in their apartments, and this process is no less complicated 🙂

If you are eager to try your hand at growing homemade tomatoes, heed the advice of our experienced summer residents.

Suitable varieties

Suitable for a home garden self-pollinated hybrids... Do not mess with tall varieties - you will suffer. Better to chooseundersized (or even dwarf ones). It is also worth sacrificing love for large tomatoes, it is better to plant small-fruited varieties - they ripen faster and easier.

There are a lot of tomato seeds on sale today of those varieties and hybrids that are specially designed for home cultivation:

• ‘Balcony miracle’
• ‘Room surprise’
• ‘Balcony Red F1’
• 'Alaska'
• ‘Betta’
• ‘Pearl red’
• ‘Pearl yellow’
• ‘Bonsai’
• ‘Japanese room’
• ‘News of Canada’

They are especially fond of

dwarf:

• ‘Minibel’

• 'Bonsai micro F1'
• ‘Pinocchio’
• ‘Florida petite’
• ‘Cherry Pigmy’
• ‘Lisa F1’
• 'Greenfinch F1'

Ampelous varieties that look great in hanging pots are wonderful - such as:

• ‘Cherry’
• ‘Talisma’
• ‘Yellow pear’
• ‘Peruvian home’
• ‘Ildi’

Advice

: the store will offer you quite a few varieties of tomatoes, assuring that they are great for home growing. Listening to this and trusting the seller, you still carefully read what is written on the packaging: the bags we need have special marks “Home garden”, “Harvest series on the window” or “Recommended for pot growing”. Now, if you saw such an inscription - feel free to pay money)

The necessary conditions

Caring for "home" tomatoes is not much different from caring for them in the country or in a personal plot.

• Tomatoes - plants light-loving, therefore, it is advisable for them to choose the south, southeast or east side. In winter, in an apartment, they need illumination (you can read more about lighting in the article 10 secrets of a home garden).
• They do not like stagnant air, they are afraid damp rooms. 
• And here are not afraid of drafts, so feel free to ventilate the room where the tomatoes "live".
• Optimal daytime temperature for growing: before flowering and fruiting - + 22 ... + 25 ° C (night - about + 17 ° C), and then - preferably 2-3 ° C higher.
• Watering, as in the open field, requires rare but abundant.

Advice:

if you want the tomato bush to be symmetrically developed and beautiful, turn it 180 ° daily in relation to the light from the window - then it will build up the green mass evenly from all sides (some owners turn the pots with bushes by 90 °, considering that there will be even more evenly))

Sweet pepper (bulgarian)

This southern juicy vegetable is quite suitable for "domestication", it is unpretentious, beautiful and very useful. Although you will have to be patient - you will be able to taste the first sweet peppers only 5-6 months after germination.

Growing it at home is interesting, to say the least. Yes, and profitable as well. How is it profitable? Yes, because pepper is a perennial plant, and the bushes planted today will delight you with their harvest for 2-3 years. Tempting? And then! If you decide to add bell peppers to your windowsill, get acquainted with the secrets of growing it.

Suitable varieties

As is the case with cucumbers and tomatoes, for a home garden you need to select early maturing self-pollinated hybrids... In home culture, varieties have proven themselves best. universal purpose, used both for planting in open ground and in protected:

• indoor pepper 'Patio-Ivo', which pleases with its bright yellow fruits at any time of the year on the windowsill or balcony;
• thick-walled peppers of the improved selection ‘California Miracle’ - up to 75 cm high, with beautiful bright red fruits with a ribbed surface;
• mid-early high-yielding hybrid of Dutch selection 'Jupiter F1' with very large fleshy fruits that change color from green to red;
• very sweet pepper of the 'Oda' variety - purple in color, undersized (35-50 cm) and very productive.

Good reviews received medium early varieties:

• 'Martin'
• ‘Bulgarian-79’
• ‘Gift of Moldova’
• ‘Novogoshary’
• 'Winnie the Pooh'

The necessary conditions

Bell pepper will not be "capricious" and will thank you with a good harvest, if you observe several important conditions for it:

• This plant is southern, so it must be placed in the sunniest room, where there is most of the light. If there is not enough light, it will be necessary to artificially illuminate it.
• Sweet pepper is a sissy, he does not like drafts.
• The optimum air temperature for its maintenance is + 20 ... + 26 ° C (at night + 18 ... + 20 ° C).
• Regular soil loosening necessarily.
• Pepper needs pest protection (aphids and spider mites).
• During the fruiting period, pepper is needed tie up to the trellis.

Advice: it is categorically not recommended to grow sweet and bitter peppers on the same windowsill (and in the same room) - as a result of cross-pollination, all your peppers will turn out to be bitter (a distance of 2-3 m to the next window sill is not an obstacle, you can not check it))

Bitter pepper

I think that bitter pepper lovers will never give up the opportunity to always have a bush with burning pointed fruits at hand ... for for them any dish with hot pepper becomes immeasurably tastier))

But to grow such a miracle on the windowsill is not difficult at all. To do this, you only need the presence of the sun in the window for 3-4 hours a day, a pot of soil, and the necessary seeds. And in 2-3 months you will have a gorgeous treasured bush, strewn with medium-sized fruits. And it can bear fruit in one place up to 5 years!

By the way, it is especially worth emphasizing that all representatives of "bitter peppers" are highly decorative and will certainly become a decoration of your home garden!

I don't think I had to persuade you)) It remains only to skim through a few lines of necessary information.

Suitable varieties

For home cultivation, seeds of early maturing self-pollinated varieties and hybrids are best suited. To the delight of spicy lovers, almost all varieties of hot pepper fully meet their purpose)

These are varieties and hybrids:

• ‘Astrakhansky 147’
• ‘Elephant trunk’
• ‘Ukrainian bitter’
• 'Indian summer'
• ‘Fire’
• ‘The Queen of Spades’
• 'Sweeties'
• ‘Carmen’
• ‘Superchile F1’
• ‘Curiosity’

Special feedback received two varieties of pepper:

• ‘Serpent Gorynych’ is a high-yielding, very spicy burning taste.
• The 'Elephant's trunk' is the largest-fruited of all hot peppers, reaching 27 cm in length.

The necessary conditions

In order for hot pepper bushes to grow and develop without problems, several basic conditions must be met from the very beginning.

• Prepare a quality soil substrate.
• Plants are best placed on south, southeast and southwest windows where most of the world... If there is a lack of lighting in winter, it is imperative to carry out additional lighting.
• To not allow drying out soil.
• Do not pinch, then the bush will be voluminous and "rich".
• During fruiting feedas it tends to be abundant and quickly depletes the soil.

Beans

Everyone can grow beans on the windowsill. Moreover, it is unpretentious, rises and grows quickly, does not require special care. It is a self-pollinating plant; in a month and a half it will bloom, and in two you will be removing young pods. They are incredibly tasty in vegetable stews, soups, omelettes and simply stewed.

Believe me, you will not regret it if you decide to "get" a couple of bean bushes).

Suitable varieties

Practice has shown that it is most profitable to grow at home early maturing varieties of asparagus bush beans... But also curly varieties shouldn't be written off. At the very least, they are very decorative - long bright green vines with large flowers of pink, purple or white look amazing. And you won't be left without a crop either.

Which beans to choose?

• has proven itself well black Eyed Peas ‘Fatima’.
• good reviews of summer residents received varieties bush beans ‘Triumph Sugar 764’, ‘Sachs Without Fiber 615’, ‘Mask’ and ‘Green Pod 517’.
• from curly beans it is recommended to choose either the ‘Golden Neck’ or ‘Violetta’ variety.

The necessary conditions

It is simple to take care of the beans, it is enough to provide them with regular watering, loosening and feeding and fulfill a few simple requirements:

• The container for growing bush varieties should be at least 2 liters in volume, and for climbing varieties - 30-35 liters.
• Bush beans more photophilous, it is best placed on the windows of the south and southeast side, curly can "live" on either side. Beans, as a rule, do not need additional lighting.
• Curly beans need ropes (wire, mesh) to supports.
• The yield of beans is increased feeding superphosphate and potassium chloride.

Carrot

Have you ever heard that carrots are grown on a windowsill? In a simple flowerpot or container, you can get a very decent harvest. Most varieties will allow you to start picking fresh carrots as early as 3.5 months after planting: when the majority of summer residents just start sowing carrots, you will already be eating them!

Carrots, of course, are capricious, but the main thing is to know a few secrets, and then you will "make friends" with it for a long time:

Suitable varieties

Carrots are remarkable in that the root crop, even when it has just been born, is already suitable for consumption. Therefore, growing it is a win-win business))

• For growing at home, it is best suited mini carrot of the Parisian Carotel variety - these are the ‘Parmex’, ‘Sophie’, ‘Grandfather’ varieties. It grows in 80-90 days and does not require much space - a pot or container is fine.
• You can also opt for early maturity sort ‘Amsterdam’.
• And kids will love the Round Baby round little roots.

The necessary conditions

You need to start with preparation lightweight and well-drained soil. This is extremely important: the easier it is to penetrate oxygen into the soil, the juicier and healthier the roots will be.

• Tank depth (container, pot, flowerpot) must be large enough so that the roots can develop normally.
• Temperature the environment must be kept within the range of + 13… + 24 ° C.
• Carrot does not like direct sunlight.
• Watering requires regular (more often than in the open field). In this case, the presence of drainage holes is mandatory!
• To retain moisture in the soil, you need to carry out mulching.
• Do not get carried away nitrogen fertilizers, you risk getting a lot of tops, not carrots.

Advice

: Carrots can be grown in cut plastic bottles. And cheap, and convenient, and mobile))

Home garden with herbs

Well, what kind of vegetable garden is without greenery? Onions, parsley, dill, salads, basil, mint ...

If you are a fan of greenery on the window, we advise you to read the articles on our website:

• 5 types of greenery that are easy to grow on a windowsill
• Growing green onions in a plastic bottle
• How to grow parsley on a windowsill
• How to grow delicious onions on a windowsill - secrets and subtleties
• How to quickly and easily grow watercress on a windowsill
• 10 secrets of the home garden

And finally, we suggest admiring the home garden of Nadezhda Shcherbinina. Any of us can make the same branch of a summer residence ... you just want to.

The more snow outside the window, the whiter the landscapes, the more we miss the bright colors of the past summer, the fresh biting sound of a jet from a hose, the whisper of herbs - at our dacha. Hands have long missed the ground, and oh, how long to my favorite beds ...

But it is in our power to reclaim a piece of summer and a summer residence. There is everything for this - desire and ... a window sill! Let me remind myself once again: if we start right now, then by March 8 we may already have our own cucumbers! Let's start?