Even if you do not have a garden, there is still plenty you can grow at home. Even when you do have a garden it can be pleasant to have some things growing on a windowsill inside your home – so you can harvest a quick crop in poor weather conditions without even having to go outdoors.
Here are some quick crops I like to grow on my windowsills over the winter months:
- cut and come again lettuces.
- Asian greens (mizuna, mibuna, pak choi etc..) to add variety to winter salads.
- pea shoots (great for salads and stir fries).
- cress (great for sandwiches and very, very quick to grow).
- brassicas (for micro-greens – often seeds left over from last spring’s sowing)
These crops can all be sown indoors at any time, and won’t be too badly affected by short days and low light levels since you will be harvesting them young.
I also harvest crops from my polytunnel, and a few crops like kale from my garden over the winter months. But I find it handy to have a few things on my windowsills too, that can be quickly cut for a mid-week dinner.
Of course, you can also have plenty of herbs on your windowsills over the winter months. Placing them on a windowsill means that you can access them easily and add them to your winter meals without even having to go outside.
If growing on a windowsill in winter, try to choose a spot that gets as much light as possible. Keep drafts at bay, and try to avoid locations which have extreme fluctuations in temperature if you can.
Winter can be a time when preserved and stored foods make up the bulk of our diets. But it is good to have some fresh, green ingredients. That can help to keep the winter blues at bay and help make spring feel less far away.
EWSP Consultancy 