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What can be grown on a windowsill, how to grow basil, parsley, dill on a windowsill
Some vegetables and herbs that we buy in the store can be grown on the windowsill. To reap a rich harvest, you need proper care.
March 25 2018
Containers for a home garden can be any: containers, boxes, pots. The main thing is with a hole for water drainage. For large plants such as tomato, cucumber, pepper, radish, pots with a height and diameter of 20–25 cm will be needed. A pallet with sides is also useful. Pressed cardboard cups can be used to germinate the seeds, but the mature plant must be transplanted.
It is best to buy a ready-made mixture in a store – the universal soil for seedlings is loose, porous, passes moisture well, while retaining it. And it also contains all the substances that a plant needs for quick and successful development. But it is not recommended to use the land from the dacha – it may contain pests, and it is not easy for a beginner to independently calculate the percentage of minerals.
Choose seeds only from large specialized producers, suitable for growing at home or on the balcony (as a rule, there is a special note about this on the package). For seedlings to appear faster, soak the seeds in warm water for 1-2 days, changing it every 10 hours, and then hold it in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours. Pour drainage into the bottom of the pot (about 1/4 of the container height), fill the container with earth. Smooth, water abundantly. Put the seeds at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other, cover them with earth. Cover the pot with cling film and place in a lighted area. Do not forget to open the greenhouse every day for ventilation and remove condensation with a clean cotton pad.
We create comfortable conditions
The health and productivity of the shoots depend on these factors. Place the containers on the lightest window sills. As a rule, these are the southern, southeastern and southwestern sides. Plants on the northern windows need additional lighting with phytolamps. Vegetables grown from seeds are the most demanding of light and finicky. The room temperature is comfortable for the seedlings, but they cannot stand drafts. Therefore, when ventilating the room, protect the seedlings from cold air. Overheating is no less dangerous. If there is a battery near the container, cover it with a cloth. When the house is stuffy and the air is dry, spray the leaves with water 2-3 times a day.
For many plants, chlorine is destructive, so they can only be watered with settled water at room temperature, carefully, without eroding the soil. Make sure that the soil does not dry out. With frequent watering, the soil is strongly compacted, and practically no air enters it. This is dangerous for seedlings, so the soil must be loosened. For feeding, use complex mineral fertilizers for seedlings, apply them to wet soil.
What can be grown on the window
Varieties: “Basilisk”, “Orion”, “Clove”. In good light, the sprouts will appear in a week. The foliage needs to be sprayed frequently. The harvest will have to wait about 2-3 months, but then it can be harvested for more than a year.
Varieties: “New Year”, “Vitamin”, watercress. Provide light, coolness and constant watering, otherwise the leaves will become coarse and get a bitter taste. Seedlings appear on the 5-6th day, you can harvest the crop on the 20-25th day.
Sorts: “Ordinary leaf”, “Gloria”, “Fitness”. Shoots do not tolerate direct sunlight. The first harvest will appear in 50-70 days. Do not root the bush to keep the greenery growing.
Varieties: “Dubel”, “Champion”, “French breakfast”. Plant in pots no more than 20 cm deep. The first shoots will appear in 3-5 days. Harvesting occurs as it ripens, that is, after 16-30 days, depending on the variety.
Varieties: Balcony Miracle, Window Yellow, Pinocchio. From March it can be grown without additional lighting. Seedlings appear in 6-10 days, and the harvest – in 85-110 days after planting.
Sorts: “Fat-leaved”, “Gigantic”, “Matador”. Demanding on the light. Seedlings appear on the 17-20th day, and after another couple of weeks, you can cut the foliage. It withers quickly, so harvest as much spinach as is needed at the moment.
Do not rush to throw away the root part of onions, leeks, celery, fennel. If you put them in a glass of water, fresh shoots will appear in a few days.
Varieties: “Hungarian Yellow”, “Jalapeno”, “Fiery Volcano”. It is necessary to carry out regular feeding. Seedlings appear within 14-21 days, and the first crop ripens in 105-120 days, depending on the variety.