You can collect a rich harvest of vegetables and herbs not only in summer. A room garden on the windowsill will allow you to get vitamin products to the table even in winter. Miniature beds of an indoor garden will save money on the purchase of off-season products, protect the body from the effects of harmful chemicals, and decorate the interior of the apartment.

We plan the placement of indoor beds

If you are interested in the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating your own mini garden, you should carefully consider the project.

Some useful tips help in the organization of a tiny garden.

• First, decide on a set of cultivated crops. It is better for inexperienced gardeners to try their hand at the most unpretentious representatives of room flora.
• Carefully study the information on the agricultural technology of the selected plants. You will find it on the package with seeds. Based on the descriptions given, select a suitable container, substrate for each specimen.
• The container must have holes for drainage excess fluid, and the soil (even purchased) should be poured with a solution of potassium permanganate. Do not forget about the drainage layer 3-4 cm high.
• Carefully consider the selection of varieties for the home garden. Requirements for crops - early return of the crop, endurance, unpretentiousness, self-fertility.
• It is important that the plants are shade-tolerant, since the lack of sunlight in winter will necessarily affect the quality of the crop. Special devices will help to solve the problem with a lack of light.
• Think over the project of placing "beds" on the windowsill. Most likely, there will not be enough space there and you will have to equip the garden with additional shelves, a rack.

Do not forget to work on the design of a miniature garden. With the right approach, you can create a real art object from it, which will be in harmony with the design of the room.

What do you need to set up an indoor garden?

In order for the plants on the windowsill to feel comfortable, it is necessary to recreate for them optimal conditions. Your assistants in this matter:

• lighting;
• racks, shelves, trellises for a window sill;

Let's take a closer look at the required equipment.

Lighting

Since the indoor garden will function in winter time, the inhabitants of the window sill will need additional lighting. For these purposes, incandescent lamps and halogen illuminators are not suitable. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury. If there are animals or small children in the house that could damage the fixture, it is best to avoid this type of illuminator.

The best option for growing vegetables, seedlings, herbs is a special phytolamp. It gives plants radiation of the required wavelength, which promotes the growth of shoots and the development of root lobe. The device is based on LEDs that consume a minimum amount of energy and have a long service life. Suitable for indoor garden and diode illuminators.

Additional area

Indispensable for cultivating a home garden rack, which can be purchased or made by hand. Take measurements from the window and assemble the rack of the desired size. Along the edge, put a side 5 cm high, and attach lamps to the bottom of the shelves.

Shelving parameters should not prevent curtains from closing the window.

To grow climbing or tall crops in an indoor garden, you will need a trellis. In fact, this is a support to which shoots will be tied as they develop. Depending on the type of vegetables grown, a horizontal or vertical trellis is made, screwing the rings into the window slopes in 20-30 cm increments. One end of the twine must be threaded into the ring, and the other wrapped around the stem of the plant.

What vegetables can be grown on the windowsill in winter

Among the most unpretentious vegetables that can be grown at home, gardeners preferred the following crops:

• cucumbers;
• tomatoes;
• beans;
• sweet pepper and its bitter counterpart;
• tiny carrots.

It is important not only to choose a plant for a home garden, but also to take a responsible approach to the selection of seed, preplant preparation.

cucumbers

Fragrant crispy greens ripen very quickly. After about 2 months, the first fruits will appear on the lashes. It is better to select bush varieties that tolerate a lack of light. The most important point when choosing cucumbers is the ability to self-pollinate. A cucumber for a garden on a windowsill should be early ripe, because when it develops in a limited space, plant growth slows down.

The following hybrids and varieties have such properties:

• Connie F1;
• Babylon;
• Serezha F1;
• Gribovchanka;
• Masha F1;
• Zozulya;
• April (very popular variety);
• Onega F1.

It is important to provide cucumbers with additional illumination, protect from drafts, water abundantly, avoiding moisture stagnation. Maintain the temperature background in the garden area at 22-25⁰C.

tomatoes

The same rules for selecting varieties apply to tomatoes. You should not cultivate large-fruited vegetables at home: the bush will spend a lot of time and resources on ripening the crop.

• Balcony miracle - the most popular variety;
• Lisa F1 - dwarf variety;
• Japanese room;
• Room surprise;
• Bonsai;
• Pinocchio is a dwarf variety.

Ampel varieties are especially popular. Small bushes strewn with juicy clusters of fruits look very impressive. Cherry, Ildi, Talisma are the best representatives of the group, which are suitable for decorating a vegetable garden on a windowsill.

Tomatoes need lighting Fresh air, rare but plentiful irrigation, the correct temperature regime (23-27⁰C). Protect the culture from dampness!

Beans

Unpretentious culture, undemanding to care. Beans need a deep container with a volume of 2-3 liters, support, periodic top dressing with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Gardeners preferred the following cultivars:

• Fatima - asparagus variety;
• Violetta - climbing variety;
• Mask, Sugar Triumph 764, Green pod 517 - bush varieties.

The beauty of the culture is that it can be grown on the windowsill without additional illumination.

Sweet pepper

It will take up to six months to wait for the harvest of juicy fruits, but you can cultivate pepper on the windowsill for several years. You will have to provide good lighting, protect the sissy from drafts, and maintain the temperature at 22-26⁰C. It is important to periodically loosen the soil and inspect the bushes for pests.

Give preference to the following varieties for your home garden:

• Patti-Ivo - indoor yellow-fruited variety;
• Oda - a variety with purple fruits;
• Martin;
• Jupiter F1;
• Gift of Moldova;
• The California Miracle is a high yielding variety.

Do not forget to tie the pepper shoots to the trellis during fruiting. Under the weight of the crop, they break easily.

hot pepper

A burning fellow needs additional illumination, loosening, fertilizing, maintaining a constant moisture content of the substrate. The crop on the windowsill will ripen in 65-90 days, and the bush will last up to five years.

Almost any variety can be grown on a windowsill. Ideal representatives:

• Indian summer - a variety with round fruits like berries;
• Curiosity;
• Twinkle;
• Carmen;
• Serpent Gorynych is a very productive variety with a pronounced burning taste.

Remember the inadmissibility of growing sweet and bitter peppers in the same room. The result of pollination will be a bitter crop.

Carrot

A somewhat capricious culture. To grow carrots on a windowsill, you need a deep pot, regular watering, and no direct sunlight. Select a light and fertile substrate. After irrigation, mulch the soil.

The following varieties of carrots are suitable for indoor garden:;

Selection and preparation of seed

Not all the inhabitants of the beds are suitable for a garden on the windowsill. Your choice is specialized seeds marked "for pot growing". Seeds of the "Harvest on the Window" and "Home Garden" series were created specifically for cultivation in apartment conditions.

Preplant seed preparation includes the following items:

• pickling;
• soak;
• culling.

For disinfection, gardeners use a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, in which the seed is kept for 30 minutes. The drug "Fitosporin" is also suitable. Seeds in the solution are kept for 2 hours. Put the seeds on a damp cloth, put a transparent bag on top and put in a warm place. Soaking will soften the seed coat, speed up the emergence of the sprout. After its appearance, you should wait a few days, select germinated specimens for planting.

Planting, care, selection of containers and substrate are carried out in accordance with the recommendations indicated on the package with seeds.

Growing a garden on a windowsill is an interesting and rewarding activity. Experienced summer residents even exotic fruits, strawberries, are cultivated on a small window sill space. Gain some experience and you will be able to harvest from such crops.

Cucumbers, peppers, carrots and even strawberries! All this can be grown on a balcony or windowsill and all year round there are fresh, organic, and most importantly, free vegetables and fruits. Right now we will tell you how to set up a mini-garden in a city apartment.

Growing food in urban areas is popular all over the world. So, Britta Riley lives in a tiny apartment in New York. She came up with a vertical hydroponics garden. It takes up little space and brings a good harvest. Britta spoke about her innovation at TED.

In the West, if a product is labeled eco, bio or organic, it means two things. Firstly, these products are grown, harvested and processed in accordance with environmental standards, that is, without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, growth stimulants and other “nasty things”. They have been certified, and serious organizations have guaranteed their quality. Secondly, bioproducts are much more expensive than conventional ones.

Our market for "clean food" is just emerging. The biocertification and control systems have not yet been formed. And the difference in prices between bio-products and ordinary vegetables and fruits sometimes reaches 1,000%! Therefore, for us, the most eco, bio and organic are products grown by our own hands.

But not everyone has dachas and relatives in the village. What should urban children do, who are used to seeing potatoes washed and in nets, and greens in vacuum packs? Grow vegetables and fruits right on the balcony or windowsill.

6 reasons to arrange a mini-garden at home

1. You can treat yourself to fresh, vitamin-rich vegetables and herbs all year round.
2. Saving. Vegetables and fruits are expensive, especially in winter. With a home garden, you no longer have to adjust to the season (we eat plenty of tomatoes only in July, and apples in September).
3. You yourself can grow a plant from a tiny seed with your own hands, you can collect fruits. This is a creative activity that charges with positive energy.
4. You can improve your knowledge of biology, gain useful skills and acquire an exciting hobby.
5. Your children will see how tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables grow and will understand that they do not miraculously materialize in the refrigerator, their cultivation is serious work.
6. You can surprise your friends and acquaintances. Imagine how you will brag about the harvest, showing the window "beds". ;)

What you need to grow vegetables and herbs at home

• Place. Usually this is a window sill or balcony. It is better if they face the sunny side. If not, lamps for additional lighting will be required. If necessary, the window sill can be expanded or shelving for "beds" can be built (the minimum distance between the shelves is 50 cm).
• Capacities. Clay or plastic pots, wooden boxes can serve as beds for a home garden. The main thing is that there are holes in the bottom for draining water. Containers are recommended to be placed on pallets.
• Priming. There are many soil mixes for indoor gardens. As a rule, several layers are made: peat, compost, turf. You can prepare the soil yourself, or you can buy it in a specialized store.
• seeds. Some varieties of tomatoes or cucumbers grow well at home, while others do not even sprout. Therefore, before you start indoor gardening, you need to sit on the forums, read articles on the Internet and find out which seeds to buy.

In addition, you may need fertilizer, top dressing, a thermometer and a vessel for settling water (home plants are watered room temperature separated from chlorine).

We have the inventory, now we need to decide what to plant. Lifehacker has already written about some vegetables that grow beautifully on the windowsill.

16 FOOD YOU CAN GROW AT HOME

Today we will talk about ten more such plants.

Carrot

Variety : "Amsterdam".
Temperature : 15 to 25 ºС.
Harvest : after ≈70 days.

For growing at home, you need to take miniature varieties of carrots. Can be planted in boxes, pots or simply cut plastic bottles with holes in the bottom. The soil should be taken drainage.

Seeds are placed in the ground to a depth of about 7 cm. When the carrots sprout and germinate a few centimeters, they need to be thinned out, leaving the strongest shoots at a distance of about 2 cm from each other. It is not recommended to keep the beds in direct sunlight.

You need to water carrots at home often, but you need to make sure that there is not too much moisture, otherwise the root crop will rot. From time to time, you can feed with fertilizers with a low nitrogen content (if there is a lot of it, all the growth will go to the tops). It is also very useful to occasionally loosen the soil.

Pepper

Peppers grown on the balcony

Varieties : "treasure island", "dwarf", "watercolor", "swallow" and others.
Temperature : 25 to 27 ºС.
Harvest : after 100-130 days.

Seeds are first planted in small pots, which are covered with cling film and placed in a warm place. When the first shoots appear (in one to two weeks), several small punctures need to be made in the film. After a while, the pepper will get stronger, then it can be transplanted into large pots or buckets. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the spine. The plant is rooted by a third, after which it is watered with warm (30 ºС) water.

In the future, pepper can be watered every day. This plant loves light, so white spectrum lamps are recommended in addition to natural light. It is necessary to protect home-grown peppers from drafts and direct sunlight.

You can fertilize with nitrogen fertilizers, but potassium salt and potassium chloride will destroy the roots of the plant. With proper care, pepper on the windowsill can delight with fruits for up to two years.

Cherry tomatoes

Varieties : "pygmy", "bonsai", "bead" and others.
Temperature : 23 to 25 ºС.
Harvest : after 90-100 days (depending on the variety).

The soil, as in the case of pepper, is more convenient to buy ready-made. It is recommended to take a cylindrical container: it is better filled with the root system.

First, the seeds are germinated in small pots: buried to a depth of 1.5 cm, covered with cling film and left in a warm place until the first sprouts. When the tomatoes have risen, they dive into a larger and deeper dish.

It is important that the plant receives uniform lighting. To do this, you can hang fluorescent lamps above the "beds" or regularly turn the containers to the window.

Watering should be done carefully: cherry tomatoes are easy to fill. When the plant grows, it is recommended to loosen the soil from time to time and feed it with mineral fertilizers. If necessary, the tomato stem can be tied to a support (wooden skewer or pencil). It is also important to ensure that pests do not appear on the tomatoes.

By the way, not only cherry tomatoes grow well in home gardens, but also ordinary tomatoes.

cucumbers

Cucumbers grown on the window

Varieties : “room Rytov”, “miracle on the window”, “ant” and others.
Temperature : 21 to 24 ºС.
Harvest : after 35-45 days.

For cucumbers, rather large containers are needed, with a volume of at least 6 liters. The soil should be loose, with peat or compost.

At home, self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers grow well. First you need to prepare the seeds: they are poured into a weak saline solution, those that have surfaced are thrown away. Then, suitable seeds are soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, after which they are washed on wet gauze and planted in the ground (under the film). When the seedlings sprout and grow up, they can be planted in large containers.

Watering homemade cucumbers warm water every day, but with care. Leaves can also be sprayed with a spray bottle. Potassium nitrate is recommended as top dressing.

When the lashes of cucumbers form and grow, supports should be built for them so that the plant can trail.

Radish

homegrown radish

Varieties : "carmen", "white fang", "celeste F1" and others.
Temperature : 18 to 20 ºС.
Harvest : after ≈40 days.

It is recommended to plant radishes in wooden or clay containers, but ordinary plastic cups can also be used. Loose, well-drained soil is needed. Seeds can be checked for germination before planting, like cucumbers. After that, they need to be buried to a depth of 1-3 cm.

After planting, the soil must be watered and covered with a film. When shoots appear, the "greenhouse" is removed. Radishes, as a rule, do not dive. But sometimes they put it for two or three days in a lower temperature regime - about 15 ° C. This hardens the plant and contributes to a better harvest.

Five days after the appearance of the first shoots, organic top dressing is carried out, and two weeks later - mineral. Water the radish abundantly as it dries. It is also important that the air in the room where it grows is not dry.

Spinach

homemade spinach

Varieties : "virofle", "gaudry", "gigantic" and others.
Temperature : 15 ºС.
Harvest : after ≈40 days.

Spinach belongs to vegetable greens and is considered very useful. To grow it at home, you need containers 15-20 cm high. Ready-made soil mixtures can be used. The main thing is that peat is included in their composition.

It is recommended to soak the seeds in water for a day before planting. Sowing is carried out to a depth of 1–2 cm. To accelerate germination, containers can be covered with a film. Spinach germinates about a week after planting, then it can be dived.

In winter, when the heating is on in the apartment and when the daylight hours are short, it is recommended to illuminate the plant with lamps and spray it with a spray bottle (in addition to watering).

The crop can be harvested when the spinach reaches 7–10 cm in height.

Basil

Varieties : "Marquis", "lemon", "Baku" and others.
Temperature : from 22 to 24 °C.
Harvest : after 50-55 days.

Basil is one of the most fragrant and favorite spices. At the same time, it is quite unpretentious and grows well on the windowsill.

Basil is planted immediately in large containers (with a volume of at least 1.5 liters). First you need to prepare the soil for planting: pour twice with mineral fertilizers with an interval of five days. The seeds are deepened by 1–1.5 cm. Until the plant sprouts, it must be watered every two days. Further watering is carried out daily, preferably in the morning.

green garlic

Varieties : "Kharkiv", "anniversary" and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 25 °C.
Harvest : after 15-20 days.

As a rule, garlic bulbs are used in cooking. But the green shoots (arrows) are also suitable for gastronomy: they are suitable for making marinades and sauces.

Varieties of garlic are divided into two groups: winter and spring. The latter usually do not give arrows, therefore they are not suitable for growing at home.

For those who have ever grown onions on a windowsill, garlic will not be difficult to deal with. You need to take winter-grade garlic cloves, preferably with sprouted sprouts. Any soil mixture can be taken. Each clove is planted to a depth of 2-3 cm and at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. Once planted, be sure to water.

The container with garlic should be kept on the most lit window in the house. Water as the soil dries out. From time to time, you can feed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Mint

Temperature : 20 to 25 °C.
Harvest : after ≈60 days.

Mint has a fairly branched root system, so for planting it, you should take a deep and wide container. The soil is recommended to use peat, varieties - any.

There are two ways to plant mint: seeds and cuttings. The latter is shown in the video below.

To grow mint from seeds, you need to plant them in the ground to a depth of about 5 mm and water. To create a greenhouse effect, you can use a film. Before germination (about two weeks later), the ground should be sprinkled with water every day. After germination, mint must be planted.

Mint is unpretentious. In summer, it must be protected from direct sunlight, and in winter from lack of light and excessive watering. From time to time, the plant can be fed with organic mixtures.

Mature plants can reach a meter in height. As a rule, they have a lot of leaves - there will almost always be mint for tea or homemade mojito.

Strawberry

Varieties : "autumn fun", "home delicacy", "garland" and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 20 °C.
Harvest : after ≈30 days.

Ampel remontant varieties of strawberries are suitable for a home garden. They bear fruit all year round and are not too picky about light. Strawberries can be planted in any soil mix. But first, drainage (expanded clay, small pebbles) should be poured to the bottom to protect strawberries from stagnant water.

Strawberries can be grown from seedlings or seeds. Both are sold in gardening stores.

Seeds are planted in small containers (for example, plastic glasses), watered abundantly and covered with cling film. After the appearance of the first shoots, the film is removed and the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place. When three or four leaves are formed, strawberries dive into larger containers.

This plant loves light. When days are shorter than nights, artificial lighting should be used. Watering and spraying are carried out as the soil dries. Strawberries are easy to fill.

Solutions with a significant iron content are used as top dressing. During active growth, strawberries become overgrown with mustaches, they need to be tied to supports.

As you can see, growing vegetables, herbs and even berries in a city apartment is not difficult and even exciting.

Estonian startup offers its own automatic mini-farms for growing greens

Estonian startup Click & Grow is working on the technology of growing greenery right in urban areas. An automatic, refrigerator-sized, vertical smart farm keeps track of the amount of water, nutrients, and lighting that plants need. Minimal maintenance and a drastically reduced amount of water required for growth are interesting features of the farm that can make it popular.

Click & Grow are no strangers to growing plants in cities. A few years ago they had a super-successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, and now they offer "smart pots" and "smart gardens" to everyone. These devices are also designed for growing plants at home. One plant grows in a pot, three in a garden. This is not much, but they take up space, as usual flower pot. But, unlike the pot, everything is done automatically.

Smart garden from C&G

Vertical Mini Farm

The unique Smart Soil technology, which Russian scientists also took part in the development of, allows the use of sponge material instead of ordinary earth. It does not compact over time, nutrients are not washed out of it, and it is well permeable to oxygen, which is necessary for plant growth. The smart gardens are equipped with LED lighting, ideal for plant growth, and supply them with just the right amount of water, which only needs to be topped up once a month.

instead of a refrigerator. Vegetarian joy.

While vertical farms are not yet available for general sale, prototypes are already being assembled on order. If it is as simple and cost-effective to operate as the startup's previous products, then the potential for its use is very wide. After all, agriculture is the biggest consumer fresh water For example, in the US, farmers use up to 80% of all water consumed by residents. In parts of the world where water is scarce, or in large crowded cities where fresh greens have to be delivered from afar, the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bconserving water, coupled with growing greens "in place" will certainly receive support. After all, even if it is useless to drink yogurt, then no one will argue about the benefits of consuming greens.

Vertical farms in urban areas have long been planned to be built. And they can indeed use 70-80% less water than conventional farms. But their cost, due to the high complexity of the hydroponic system, is tens of thousands of dollars. Smart Farm, on the other hand, the creators promise to deliver at a price of only $1,500. And if not everyone can put themselves such a farm next to the refrigerator, surely large supermarkets will be interested in the opportunity to sell super-fresh greens grown right in the warehouse.

Growing food in urban areas is popular all over the world. So, Britta Riley lives in a tiny apartment in New York. She came up with the hydroponic vertical garden. It takes up little space and brings a good harvest. About his innovation Britta.

In the West, if a product is labeled eco, bio or organic, it means two things. Firstly, these products are grown, harvested and processed in accordance with environmental standards, that is, without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, growth stimulants and other “nasty things”. They have been certified, and serious organizations have guaranteed their quality. Secondly, bioproducts are much more expensive than conventional ones.

In Russia, the market for "clean food" is just emerging. The biocertification and control systems have not yet been formed. And the difference in prices between bio-products and ordinary vegetables and fruits sometimes reaches 1,000%! Therefore, for us, the most eco, bio and organic are products grown by our own hands.

But not everyone has dachas and relatives in the village. What should urban children do, who are used to seeing potatoes washed and in nets, and greens in vacuum packs? Grow vegetables and fruits right on the balcony or windowsill.

6 reasons to arrange a mini-garden at home

1. You can treat yourself to fresh, vitamin-rich vegetables and herbs all year round.
2. Saving. Vegetables and fruits are expensive, especially in winter. With a home garden, you no longer have to adjust to the season (we eat plenty of tomatoes only in July, and apples in September).
3. You yourself can grow a plant from a tiny seed with your own hands, you can collect fruits. This is a creative activity that charges with positive energy.
4. You can improve your knowledge of biology, gain useful skills and acquire an exciting hobby.
5. Your children will see how tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables grow and will understand that they do not miraculously materialize in the refrigerator, their cultivation is serious work.
6. You can surprise your friends and acquaintances. Imagine how you will brag about the harvest, showing the window "beds". ;)

What you need to grow vegetables and herbs at home

• Place. Usually this is a window sill or balcony. It is better if they face the sunny side. If not, lamps for additional lighting will be required. If necessary, the window sill can be expanded or shelving for "beds" can be built (the minimum distance between the shelves is 50 cm).
• Capacities. Clay or plastic pots, wooden boxes can serve as beds for a home garden. The main thing is that there are holes in the bottom for draining water. Containers are recommended to be placed on pallets.
• Priming. There are many potting mixes for indoor gardens. As a rule, several layers are made: peat, compost, turf. You can prepare the soil yourself, or you can buy it in a specialized store.
• seeds. Some varieties of tomatoes or cucumbers grow well at home, while others do not even sprout. Therefore, before you start indoor gardening, you need to sit on the forums, read articles on the Internet and find out which seeds to buy.

In addition, you may need fertilizers, top dressing, a thermometer and a vessel for settling water (home plants are watered with water at room temperature, separated from chlorine).

Shelf for plants on the windowsill" data-img-id = "363908">

Mobile rack for "beds"" data-img-id = "363907">

Hanging rack for growing herbs" data-img-id="363910">

Solution for those who do not have a window sill" data-img-id="363913">

Vessels for moisture-loving plants" data-img-id="363914">

We have the inventory, now we need to decide what to plant. Lifehacker has already written about some vegetables that grow beautifully on the windowsill.

Today we will talk about ten more such plants.

Carrot

DenisNata/Depositphotos.com

Variety : "Amsterdam".
Temperature : 15 to 25 ºС.
Harvest : after ≈70 days.

For growing at home, you need to take miniature varieties of carrots. You can plant in boxes, pots or just cut plastic bottles with holes in the bottom. The soil should be taken drainage.

Seeds are placed in the ground to a depth of about 7 cm. When the carrots sprout and germinate a few centimeters, they need to be thinned out, leaving the strongest shoots at a distance of about 2 cm from each other. It is not recommended to keep the beds in direct sunlight.

You need to water carrots at home often, but you need to make sure that there is not too much moisture, otherwise the root crop will rot. From time to time, you can feed with fertilizers with a low nitrogen content (if there is a lot of it, all the growth will go to the tops). It is also very useful to occasionally loosen the soil.

Pepper

Peppers grown on the balcony

Varieties : "treasure island", "dwarf", "watercolor", "swallow" and others.
Temperature : 25 to 27 ºС.
Harvest : after 100-130 days.

Seeds are first planted in small pots, which are covered with cling film and placed in a warm place. When the first shoots appear (in one to two weeks), several small punctures need to be made in the film. After a while, the pepper will get stronger, then it can be transplanted into large pots or buckets. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the spine. The plant is rooted by a third, after which it is watered with warm (30 ºС) water.

In the future, pepper can be watered every day. This plant loves light, so white spectrum lamps are recommended in addition to natural light. It is necessary to protect home-grown peppers from drafts and direct sunlight.

You can fertilize with nitrogen fertilizers, but potassium salt and potassium chloride will destroy the roots of the plant. With proper care, pepper on the windowsill can delight with fruits for up to two years.

Cherry tomatoes

Levranii/Depositphotos.com

Varieties : "pygmy", "bonsai", "bead" and others.
Temperature : 23 to 25 ºС.
Harvest : after 90-100 days (depending on the variety).

The soil, as in the case of pepper, is more convenient to buy ready-made. It is recommended to take a cylindrical container: it is better filled with the root system.

First, the seeds are germinated in small pots: buried to a depth of 1.5 cm, covered with cling film and left in a warm place until the first sprouts. When the tomatoes have risen, they dive into a larger and deeper dish.

It is important that the plant receives uniform lighting. To do this, you can hang fluorescent lamps above the "beds" or regularly turn the containers to the window.

Watering should be done carefully: cherry tomatoes are easy to fill. When the plant grows, it is recommended to loosen the soil from time to time and feed it with mineral fertilizers. If necessary, the tomato stem can be tied to a support (wooden skewer or pencil). It is also important to ensure that pests do not appear on the tomatoes.

By the way, not only cherry tomatoes grow well in home gardens, but also ordinary tomatoes.

cucumbers

Cucumbers grown on the window

Varieties : “room Rytov”, “miracle on the window”, “ant” and others.
Temperature : 21 to 24 ºС.
Harvest : after 35-45 days.

For cucumbers, rather large containers are needed, with a volume of at least 6 liters. The soil should be loose, with peat or compost.

At home, self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers grow well. First you need to prepare the seeds: they are poured into a weak saline solution, those that have surfaced are thrown away. Then, suitable seeds are soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, after which they are washed on wet gauze and planted in the ground (under the film). When the seedlings sprout and grow up, they can be planted in large containers.

Water homemade cucumbers with warm water every day, but with caution. Leaves can also be sprayed with a spray bottle. Potassium nitrate is recommended as top dressing.

When the lashes of cucumbers form and grow, supports should be built for them so that the plant can trail.

Radish

homegrown radish

Varieties : "carmen", "white fang", "celeste F1" and others.
Temperature : 18 to 20 ºС.
Harvest : after ≈40 days.

It is recommended to plant radishes in wooden or clay containers, but ordinary plastic cups can also be used. Loose, well-drained soil is needed. Seeds can be checked for germination before planting, like cucumbers. After that, they need to be buried to a depth of 1-3 cm.

After planting, the soil must be watered and covered with a film. When shoots appear, the "greenhouse" is removed. Radishes, as a rule, do not dive. But sometimes they put it for two or three days in a lower temperature regime - about 15 ° C. This hardens the plant and contributes to a better harvest.

Five days after the appearance of the first shoots, organic top dressing is carried out, and two weeks later - mineral. Water the radish abundantly as it dries. It is also important that the air in the room where it grows is not dry.

Spinach

homemade spinach

Varieties : "virofle", "gaudry", "gigantic" and others.
Temperature : 15 ºС.
Harvest : after ≈40 days.

Spinach belongs to vegetable greens and is considered very useful. To grow it at home, you need containers 15-20 cm high. Ready-made soil mixtures can be used. The main thing is that peat is included in their composition.

It is recommended to soak the seeds in water for a day before planting. Sowing is carried out to a depth of 1–2 cm. To accelerate germination, containers can be covered with a film. Spinach germinates about a week after planting, then it can be dived.

In winter, when the heating is on in the apartment and when the daylight hours are short, it is recommended to illuminate the plant with lamps and spray it with a spray bottle (in addition to watering).

The crop can be harvested when the spinach reaches 7–10 cm in height.

Basil

jamdesign/depositphotos.com

Varieties : "Marquis", "lemon", "Baku" and others.
Temperature : from 22 to 24 °C.
Harvest : after 50-55 days.

Basil is one of the most fragrant and favorite spices. At the same time, it is quite unpretentious and grows well on the windowsill.

Basil is planted immediately in large containers (with a volume of at least 1.5 liters). First you need to prepare the soil for planting: pour twice with mineral fertilizers with an interval of five days. The seeds are deepened by 1–1.5 cm. Until the plant sprouts, it must be watered every two days. Further watering is carried out daily, preferably in the morning.

green garlic

fotomod/depositphotos.com

Varieties : "Kharkiv", "anniversary" and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 25 °C.
Harvest : after 15-20 days.

As a rule, garlic bulbs are used in cooking. But the green shoots (arrows) are also suitable for gastronomy: they are suitable for making marinades and sauces.

Varieties of garlic are divided into two groups: winter and spring. The latter usually do not give arrows, therefore they are not suitable for growing at home.

For those who have ever grown onions on a windowsill, garlic will not be difficult to deal with. You need to take winter-grade garlic cloves, preferably with sprouted sprouts. Any soil mixture can be taken. Each clove is planted to a depth of 2-3 cm and at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. Once planted, be sure to water.

The container with garlic should be kept on the most lit window in the house. Water as the soil dries out. From time to time, you can feed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Mint

martiapunts/Depositphotos.com

Temperature : 20 to 25 °C.
Harvest : after ≈60 days.

Mint has a fairly branched root system, so for planting it, you should take a deep and wide container. The soil is recommended to use peat, varieties - any.

There are two ways to plant mint: seeds and cuttings. The latter is shown in the video below.

To grow mint from seeds, you need to plant them in the ground to a depth of about 5 mm and water. To create a greenhouse effect, you can use a film. Before germination (about two weeks later), the ground should be sprinkled with water every day. After germination, mint must be planted.

Mint is unpretentious. In summer, it must be protected from direct sunlight, and in winter from lack of light and excessive watering. From time to time, the plant can be fed with organic mixtures.

Mature plants can reach a meter in height. As a rule, they have a lot of leaves - there will almost always be mint for tea or homemade mojito.

Strawberry

S.Bachstroem/Shutterstock.com

Varieties : "autumn fun", "home delicacy", "garland" and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 20 °C.
Harvest : after ≈30 days.

Ampel remontant varieties of strawberries are suitable for a home garden. They bear fruit all year round and are not too picky about light. Strawberries can be planted in any soil mix. But first, drainage (expanded clay, small pebbles) should be poured to the bottom to protect strawberries from stagnant water.

Strawberries can be grown from seedlings or seeds. Both are sold in gardening stores.

Seeds are planted in small containers (for example, plastic glasses), watered abundantly and covered with cling film. After the appearance of the first shoots, the film is removed and the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place. When three or four leaves are formed, strawberries dive into larger containers.

This plant loves light. When days are shorter than nights, artificial lighting should be used. Watering and spraying are carried out as the soil dries. Strawberries are easy to fill.

Solutions with a significant iron content are used as top dressing. During active growth, strawberries become overgrown with mustaches, they need to be tied to supports.

As you can see, growing vegetables, herbs and even berries in a city apartment is not difficult and even exciting.

If you have experience in home gardening, tell us about it. Write in the comments what and how did you happen to grow on your windowsill.

If you are just starting to grow cucumbers at home - choose from these varieties and hybrids, you will not lose.

Our market will help you choose seeds, where the products of the largest online stores are presented. There you will find many varieties and hybrids described in this article. .

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

You can easily find many of the varieties listed above on sale with the help of our market. .

Sweet pepper F1 Baby Bell 28 rub
Russian Garden

Pepper spicy Yellow gnome 39 rub
Russian Garden

Sweet Pepper California Miracle 15 rub
Russian Garden

Sweet pepper Gift of Moldova 15 rub
Russian Garden

Beans

Everyone can grow on the windowsill. Moreover, it is unpretentious, sprouts and grows quickly, does not require special care. It is a self-pollinating plant; in a month and a half it will already bloom, and in two you will be removing young pods. They are unusually tasty in vegetable stews, soups, scrambled eggs 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 at home it is most profitable to grow early ripe varieties asparagus bush beans. But also climbing varieties should not be written off. At a minimum, they are very decorative - long bright green vines with large flowers pink, purple or white color look amazing. And you won’t be left without a harvest either.

What kind of beans to choose?

• proved to be excellent black Eyed Peas"Fatima".
• varieties received good reviews from gardeners bush beans"Sugar Triumph 764", "Saksa without fiber 615", "Mask" and "Green pods 517".
• from curly beans recommend choosing either the Golden Neck or Violetta variety.

Information about different varieties you will find in articles

And fruit.

Modern technologies make it possible even for beginners to organize a garden on the windowsill in winter.

There are plenty for beginners practical advice from professionals and home nursery enthusiasts.

Having studied the right approach, you can pamper yourself with juicy vegetables and herbs all year round without leaving your home.

To create a homemade small garden for the winter, you will need careful preparation:

• Plastic containers (cut bottles, glasses will do) or flower pots.
• Polyethylene to organize a mini-greenhouse.
• High-quality soil and fertilizers that are designed for vegetables and herbs.
• UV lamps to create daylight.
• Thermometer to control the temperature of the home garden.
• A small watering can for watering the garden.

The soil can be purchased at any specialized gardening store. Then they need to fill the prepared containers and water it so that the earth gets wet. Then seeds or seedlings are planted. In the case of seed planting, containers should be placed in a warm place and covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect until the crops begin to germinate.

As soon as the sprouts appear, the polyethylene must be removed to ensure air circulation and transferred to the windowsill, where the plants will have access to daylight.

The key to quality plants and a successful home harvest is timely watering, fertilizing and access to daylight. Since there is little natural light in winter, you will need a fluorescent lamp.

If there is no desire to plant seeds, you can buy already sprouted crops in the store and simply transplant them at home into containers.

Growing greenery

Greens are not only a flavoring seasoning for many dishes, but also a source of vitamins that every body needs, especially in winter. On the windowsill you can grow absolutely any kind of greenery.

Consider the most popular, which are very easy to plant at home.

Onion

You don't have to plant everything at once. It is enough to plant 7-10 heads, after 2 weeks the same number and so on.

Thus, you can provide yourself with green onions all year round uninterruptedly, and without cluttering up all the window sills.

Watercress

Watercress, like green onion not whimsical and does not require a lot of attention in the room garden. It grows very quickly, which is important for a home window sill, already 2 weeks after planting, you can enjoy the greenery.

In addition to taste, this type of salad has many useful properties for the body:

• improves blood circulation
• normalizes blood pressure
• contributes to the production of hemoglobin
• Saturates the body with vitamins A, B, C, E

Watercress does not require special lighting or temperature regime. For him, a perfect environment is considered to be +15 degrees and above. The main thing is to water it all the time, because the plant dies from a lack of moisture. For a constant crop of greens, portions of seeds are recommended to be planted once a week.

Leaf salad

According to experts, two types of leaf lettuce are ideal for a vegetable garden on a windowsill: Lollo Rossa and Lolla Bionda.

But these, unlike onions or cress, require additional lighting.

In order for the leaves to turn out juicy and soft, it is important to adhere to neutral moisture, drought or excessive watering will lead to bitterness.

When the seeds begin to germinate, it is important to break through them at a distance of 1-1.5 centimeters.

When the plants get stronger, the distance between them must be increased to 4 centimeters. In cramped conditions, the lettuce will weaken and produce juicy fruit leaves.

Given the compactness and diminutiveness of the garden, you should not wait until the leaves grow to full size. You can feast on young leaves, cutting them off in time and allowing new leaves to appear.

Parsley

This type of greenery is one of the most not picky and fast-growing. There are several ways to plant parsley:

• Sowing seeds. Seeds previously soaked in Guma are sown in a container with moistened and fertilized soil. Then they are covered with a layer of earth from above and placed in a warm place for germination. With the advent of greenery, it can be rearranged on the windowsill. With this planting, you need to know that parsley seeds germinate very slowly.
• Planting distillation - pre-prepared roots. This option is a little easier, since you do not need to sow the seeds. Medium-sized roots are planted in moist soil. A plastic box, container or flower pot is perfect as a container.

Parsley does not require much watering or lighting. It is enough to moisten the soil, as needed. This plant also does not need thinning.

chives

To the whole winter period chives pleased with a juicy harvest, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation in the fall. Onion jackets should be planted in a container and sent to the balcony or basement. When the time comes to plant it on the windowsill, the blanks are brought into a warm room. Feathers grow back very quickly.

As practice shows, two crops can be obtained from one fruit, after which the plant deteriorates. Therefore, several containers need to be prepared for the winter.

It is not necessary to fill the chives with water, but you should not allow the soil to dry out either. When dry, the feathers become bitter, and flower stalks form. For a quality harvest, it is recommended to add a hydrogel before planting in the ground.

Basil

Basil is planted by cuttings or sown by seeds.

Both in the first and in the second case, an excellent harvest is obtained.

At a temperature of +18 and above, the seeds germinate on the 6th-7th day.

Cuttings take root from 10 to 15 days.

In the case of basil, it is better to use the sowing method.

This plant loves loose soil, and in order to create favorable conditions for it, coconut fibers are placed in a container with soil. They can be purchased at garden stores.

You need to water the basil as needed, preventing the soil from drying out. As for lighting, a natural light regime in the winter is quite enough.

Mint

Mint is easiest to grow on a windowsill, as it is not capricious of light, moisture, or soil quality. Different kinds get along well with each other, even if you plant mint platter in one pot.

It is not recommended to sow mint at home with seeds - it is too long. It is better to buy seedlings with roots in a store or on the market. Mint takes root up to 12 - 14 days, and then it begins to grow rapidly, spreading an incredible aroma throughout the apartment.

Rosemary

The rosemary stalk is immediately planted in the ground for rooting. It is not necessary to plant it in water first. From above you need to create a greenhouse - a film or glass jar. The root will get stronger in 2 weeks, then the "greenhouse" must be eliminated.

Drainage should be placed at the bottom of the container with soil. Rosemary loves fresh air, but is afraid of drafts. There are no special instructions for watering this plant, but you need to spray the leaves with water from time to time.

Growing vegetables

In addition to greenery, you can grow it in the garden on the windowsill in winter. For beginners, lighting should be of the highest quality so that there are no problems with plants. Those who have already practiced growing crops already know from their own experience what kind of vegetable, what kind of light is needed.

cucumbers

It seems that growing cucumbers in an apartment is unrealistic. With the right approach and proper care, everything is real! Cucumbers are not very whimsical, so in December and March you can enjoy a fresh salad.

Benefits of planting cucumbers on the windowsill:

• it is not difficult, even a beginner can easily cope with this task
• already a month and a half after planting, you can enjoy juicy and healthy fruits
• all year round you can provide the table with delicious fresh salads

Before breeding in an apartment, it is important to know that not all varieties are suitable for this. It is better to give preference to self-pollinated, bush and shade-tolerant. The following varieties are suitable for this:

• F1 legend
• Marinda F1
• Connie F1
• Debut
• Athlete
• Babylon
• Claudia F1

For you need to create favorable conditions so that the plant is quickly saturated with vitamins and soon bears fruit:

• Light. Cucumbers are photophilous, so natural light will not be enough for them. It is necessary to purchase fluorescent lamps to illuminate the plant when it gets dark or cloudy outside.
• Warmly. For these plants, it is important to provide a mode from +20 to +24 degrees. At a lower temperature, the fruits will ripen for a long time and will not turn out juicy and crispy.
• Moisture. Cucumbers do not tolerate drought either in the garden or on the windowsill. It is necessary to strictly monitor the moisture content of the soil.

Bush hybrids are best planted in a plastic container or flower pot (large). Seedlings are planted immediately. You can buy it, or prepare it in advance, since the fall.

You can watch the video on how to grow cucumbers and tomatoes on the windowsill:

Tomatoes

A tomato on the windowsill is the dream of every housewife. Bush indoor tomatoes are not whimsical to moisture and temperature. They need to be watered as the soil dries and keep the temperature from +17 to +24 degrees. The room where the tomatoes are located can be ventilated, since, unlike cucumbers, they are not afraid of drafts. For a home garden, seedlings of the following varieties are best suited:

• balcony miracle
• room surprise
• betta
• Bansai
• Cherry
• Florida
• Talisma

As a rule, the seeds indicate that this variety is suitable for growing in an apartment.

In order for the tomato bush to be beautiful and even, and the fruits to ripen evenly, it is recommended to turn the tomato pot daily to the window in different directions.

Sweet pepper

bell pepper one of the easiest vegetables to grow at home.

It does not require special heating or lighting.

But the first fruits appear 6 months after the seed sprouts.

That is, in order to provide yourself with peppers, you can plant several bushes every month, which will result in an uninterrupted harvest.

Indoor varieties:

• Patio-Ivo - bright yellow juicy fruits
• Jupiter F1 - produces red and green fleshy peppers
• Oda is one of the most productive varieties sweet pepper

Initially, you need to sow the seeds and create a greenhouse for them. After sunrise, the sprouts are moved to a container of fertilized soil for a "permanent residence". Peppers are unpretentious, but require sun and warmth. The best mode for them is + 22-26 degrees. Additional lighting should also be present, since, after all, this is a southern plant.

Better shield Bell pepper from room bitter. Otherwise, hybrid pollination may occur, as a result of which both varieties will deteriorate.

hot pepper

Hot indoor pepper will bear fruit, regardless of the temperature and the presence of light. Enough 3-4 hours a day of the sun or artificial lighting. After sunrise, fruits appear in 8-10 weeks. One plant can bear fruit for up to five years. In addition, bitter pepper is very beautiful and will complement any interior. Varieties that are suitable for the windowsill.