Growing salad on a windowsill in winter for beginners

The salad contains a huge amount of nutrients. Therefore, many lovers of this greenery want to grow it not only in their summer cottage, but also at home. Is it possible to grow lettuce from seeds on a windowsill at home? This will be discussed further.

Is it possible to grow lettuce on a windowsill

Lettuce can be grown at home as well. Both in winter and summer. But this plant at home requires a lot of attention.

For his growth needs a lot of sunshine... On short winter days, it needs additional lighting. If there is not enough light, it begins to bloom early. Does not tolerate drought, heat. In this case, the leaves become bitter. Beginners should not take on growing head forms in an apartment. They are very moody.

This is an early maturing culture. To constantly have greens at home, it must be planted 1 time in 10 - 14 days.

The best varieties of lettuce to grow at home

Batavia is the most suitable salad variety for an apartment

The most suitable variety for an apartment is considered Batavia... In grocery stores, it is most often sold.

It grows even without additional illumination. Can withstand short-term drought, high air temperatures.

The most famous varieties for cultivation on the windowsill:

• Lollo rossa
• Emerald lace
• New Year
• Lollo bionda
• Vitamin

Lolla rossa is distinguished by its brown head, curly light green leaves. Counts the most vitamin... It has a delicate taste.

Lolla bionda - the most beautiful... The leaves are wavy. Yellow-green color. The taste is pleasant, bitter with a nutty flavor.

The apartment also grows watercress... This is a moisture-loving plant. The best varieties for the windowsill:

• curly;
• pepper;
• broadleaf;
• ordinary.

Broadleaf watercress

Choosing a container for sowing and preparing the soil

Lettuce roots do not go deep into the soil. Large containers are not needed to grow it. Better to choose a plastic pot. The capacity should be volume of 1-2 liters... Depth - 10 - 35 cm. Depending on the variety. There should be holes at the bottom of the container.

The soil can be purchased at the store or used garden soil. Acidic soil is not suitable for planting. Better option - a mixture of turf, humus, sand... Another option is garden soil, coconut fiber, vermicompost. The ratio of the latter two is 2: 1.

For sowing, it is necessary to use drainage: pebbles, expanded clay, broken brick, small stones.

When using garden soil, the soil should be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The soil is filled into the pot, not reaching the edges of 2.5 - 3 cm.

Some varieties can be grown without soil... One of them is watercress. For cultivation, they use such improvised materials as a sponge, cotton wool, paper.

Some lettuce varieties can be grown without soil - on paper or cotton wool

Sowing seeds

• Before sowing, seeds are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate.Time - 2-3 hours.
• A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pot.
• The drainage is covered with earth. Watering.
• Make a groove. Depth - 5 mm... Distance between rows - 10 cm.
• Seeds are placed in the groove. Fall asleep with a small amount of earth. Slightly compacted.
• Cover the container with a bag - create a greenhouse effect.
• They are placed in a dark place.
• When the first shoots appear, the bag is removed. Transferred to the windowsill.

The first shoots can be seen after 4 - 5 days... You need to protect it from direct sunlight. On bright sunny days, it is necessary to shade it - the leaves can burn.

The salad loves warmth. For its good growth, a temperature of 17-21 degrees is required. During a strong drop in temperatures outside, the container with plants should be removed from the windowsill.

Culture needs thinning... This is done 2 times:

1. After 1 week, as the first shoots appear; Leave a distance of 1–2 cm between them.
2. When 2 true leaves are formed; Distance - 4-5 cm.

If the lettuce grows densely, you will not be able to get a good harvest.

Lettuce needs to be thinned twice

Watering

Watering should be abundant... With insufficient soil moisture, arrows begin to form earlier than usual. Watered with settled water 1 time in 1 - 2 days.

If the container is on the south side, more often. Less often in winter. Do not overly moisten the soil - the roots and lower leaves will begin to rot. The air in the room should be humidified. The leaves are sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Top dressing

Feed Once every 1.5-2 weeks... Fertilizers are suitable for indoor plants. It is a fast growing culture. If fertile soil was chosen for planting, it grows well without them.

You cannot apply a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers - lettuce is capable of accumulating nitrates. If you use a potassium iodide-based top dressing, you can get a plant with a lot of iodine in the composition.

Lighting

Light-loving plant. In winter, in short autumn - spring days, you need to use additional lighting - fluorescent lamps. They need to be turned on for 2 - 5 hours. Hang it at a height of 50 - 60 cm above the plant.

Daylight hours when growing lettuce should last 12-14 hours

In total, daylight hours should last 12-14 hours... It is impossible to highlight during the day. The greens must rest.

If it is not possible to add additional lighting to the plant, it is best to plant it at the end of winter.

Loosening

Lettuce has very fragile, superficial roots. Loosen the ground under the seedlings it is forbidden.

Harvesting

Greens grow quickly. It can be harvested over a period of several weeks. Tear up by the roots or tear off the outer leaves... Arrows form after 3 to 5 weeks. The plant is removed. Other seeds are sown in its place.

Experienced gardeners plant salad every 10 days... 40-50 grams of greens are obtained from one plant. But it all depends on the variety.

Lettuce can be grown both outdoors and at home. But when planting it in an apartment, you need to remember that it requires daily care.

1. This is a moisture-loving plant. The soil should always be slightly damp. But excess moisture can kill him.
2. The best place is a windowsill on the south, southeast side. It is impossible to grow it without enough light at home.

Growing fast. Doesn't take up much space. But you need to choose the right variety for the pot.

In winter, you need to think about your health, in particular, about good nutrition. Greens will help to enrich the diet with useful vitamins and microelements. Growing a salad on a windowsill in winter will not be difficult - this culture is quite accessible in home cultivation. To get a good harvest of lettuce, you need to know the rules for planting and caring for the plant.

Lettuce has a number of health benefits. It contains vitamins and minerals that have a beneficial effect on the body.When using the product, the normalization of the heart and nervous system performance is ensured, blood pressure decreases, and immunity is strengthened. It is recommended for dieters, children and pregnant women. With a low-calorie content, the salad contains useful substances - the feeling of fullness lasts a long time.

Greens are used in cosmetology for skin rejuvenation and regeneration. It is used to make preparations for the improvement of hair and nails. The salad mask is an excellent tonic and prevents age-related changes in the skin of the face.

What varieties can be grown on a windowsill?

Before choosing which salad to grow at home, you should familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the various varieties. There are several popular varieties that are unpretentious in planting and care:

Varieties for growing on a windowsill are characterized by unpretentiousness, quick germination and high productivity.

Photo: Lettuce varieties

Requirements for growing lettuce at home

To get a good harvest of greenery in the winter in an apartment, you should adhere to the general requirements of cultivation:

1. Before planting a plant from seeds, the grains must be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for 3 hours.
2. The substrate for greens should consist of vermicompost and coconut fiber in a ratio of 1: 2.
3. The soil should have a drainage of brick chips, pebbles or expanded clay
4. Additional lighting with phytolamps is required for 2-5 hours.
5. For growing lettuce, containers of 1-2 liters are selected.
6. It is better to moisten the plant with a spray bottle with water at room temperature.
7. Every week, fertilizing with liquid fertilizer should be applied during the active growth of the crop.

By adhering to simple rules, in winter you can enjoy delicious and healthy greens.

Features of planting indoor lettuce

Before planting a salad, you need to prepare everything - planting material, pot, soil, drainage. Planting stages:

1. A room bed is being prepared. To do this, select a suitable container made of wood, clay, you can choose old dishes.
2. Drainage in progress. Experienced breeders recommend using not only pebbles, but also laying a synthetic winterizer on the bottom. It absorbs moisture well, and when the soil dries up, it gives it back.
3. The soil mixture is poured. You can buy ready-made in the store or take it from the garden and mix with sand. Outdoor soil should be disinfected before planting seeds - warm it up in the microwave or pour it with potassium permanganate solution.
4. Sowing seeds. The seeds are deepened by 0.5 cm, at a distance of 10 cm. Then they are covered with soil and watered.
5. Further, to create a greenhouse effect, the container is covered with glass and placed in a warm place. After the appearance of the first shoots. Reveals.

Further care for young shoots involves watering, feeding and providing additional lighting.

Reviews of gardeners about growing lettuce are only positive. Cultivating greens on your windowsill in winter is a great option that will allow you to enjoy a healthy product all winter. The culture does not require much maintenance. No difficulty in landing. The whole process of cultivation is a pleasure.

If it is cool at home in winter and the temperature on the windowsills is below +20 degrees, then the number of options for what greens to grow in pots is sharply reduced. But, for example, a salad on a windowsill in winter feels great even at low temperatures with a plus sign, so it is not afraid of either drafts from old frames, or even life on a glazed loggia.

Growing salad on a windowsill: where to start

Start by choosing a variety. It is best to grow leafy types of lettuce - they are less whimsical, are distinguished by fast germination, and soon give the first harvest. It is best to take early varieties so as not to delay the appearance of the first full-fledged leaves.It makes no sense to give names here - every year new varieties of lettuce are developed, author's seeds and hybrids appear, so just read the information on the package carefully. It is good if the plant is resistant to all sorts of diseases and pests.

Next, we select a container for seedlings. It can be a pot, or several pots, or a box, matched to the size of the windowsill. Holes should be made in its bottom for water drainage, and the box itself should stand on a pallet. By the way, know-how: if you have wooden vegetable crates (with large slots) or plastic ones with a large cell, you can use them as well. To do this, we insert a package in size into the box, pour soil into it. The walls of the package will act as an obstacle for soil, which could wake up in cracks and holes. Just make holes in the bag so that excess water can come out.

Pour soil into the box (best of all - purchased), do not forget to put drainage (stones, expanded clay) on the bottom of the box. It is better to pour soil not to the very top - leave a margin of 5-7 cm.

How to grow salad on a windowsill in an apartment: a step-by-step guide

Lettuce seeds do not require presoaking. They can be sown directly into shallow grooves made in the ground. Pre-moisten the earth with water from a watering can. Remember to leave enough space between the grooves (at least 15 cm), otherwise the adult plants will be too crowded and they will not give lush greenery.

After spreading the seeds along the grooves, sprinkle them with damp earth and crush the soil a little so that the soil completely encloses the seeds. To prevent the surface of the garden from drying out, making it difficult for seeds to germinate, cover the box with plastic wrap. Remember we left a space between the surface of the bed and the edges of the box? This is just so that the seedlings do not get rotten. It will be necessary to remove the film after the first shoots appear. You can wait for them in 3-5 days.

Video how to plant salad on the windowsill

Seed salad on the windowsill: taking care of the seedlings

With the appearance of the first leaves, the salad will need to be watered often (but not very abundantly - the water should not stagnate, turning the box into a swamp). And you will also have to organize additional lighting with a fluorescent lamp. Otherwise, in winter conditions, the salad will be stunted and will not delight you with lush tops.

If the seeds have sprouted thickly, be sure to thin them out. This should be done twice with a difference of two weeks. The first time is a week after germination. The distance between neighboring plants should be 7-10 cm. If you feel sorry for pulling out the plants, transplant them into pots or another box. And get a double harvest.

When watering, which needs to be done 2-3 times a week, spray the leaves themselves - the salad loves it.

The salad should be fed only if the soil is initially insufficiently nutritious. Complex water-soluble fertilizers are used for feeding.

Watercress: growing on a windowsill

This plant is even more unpretentious and yields a harvest a couple of weeks after germination. True, watercress does not live long, so it is worth starting three boxes and sowing new portions of seeds there every couple of weeks. So the greens will be on your table all winter.

The plant is also good in that it does not require either high temperatures (which do not happen on the windowsill in winter), or a lot of light (which usually has problems in the cold season). All he needs is timely watering and sufficient moisture content in the air.

Seeds germinate at temperatures from plus seven to plus fifteen degrees. If it gets hotter, the salad will feel bad, so it is better to take it out to the covered balcony and cover it with plastic wrap.

Greens that have reached 10 cm in height can be safely cut and eaten. Watercress is very rich in a variety of vitamins, which makes it a godsend in the winter season.

Video how to grow watercress 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.

It is not necessary to deepen the heads, plant 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 in a plastic bottle filled with soil on your own.

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 off 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 loves 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 must 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 lighting with fluorescent lamps will be needed.

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 shop, note that some of the 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 need to be watered abundantly and sprayed on the leaves.

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 updated 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.