Instructions for growing herbs on the windowsill - herbs in the kitchen. Growing greens at home on the windowsill

We all love fresh greens, because they can not only enrich our food with vitamins, but also give it a very special taste and aroma.

But few people think that it is not necessary to buy fresh herbs and even some vegetables anew every time. Because you can easily grow them at home without much work and hassle!

1. Garlic
As a rule, garlic bulbs are used in cooking. But green shoots(arrows) are also suitable for gastronomy: they are suitable for preparing marinades and sauces.
When garlic begins to sprout shoots, it loses its pungency. This head of garlic belongs in a bowl of water, where in a couple of weeks it will produce new shoots that will be an excellent addition to salads and potatoes.

Garlic varieties are divided into two groups: winter and spring. The latter usually do not produce arrows, so they are not suitable for growing at home.

For those who have ever grown onions on a windowsill, dealing with garlic will not be difficult. You need to take winter garlic cloves, preferably with sprouted sprouts.

Garlic germinates well and can continue to grow in a glass of water. Garlic sprouts have a very delicate taste and can be easily added to salads and sauces.

If you prefer to grow in the ground, then you can use any soil mixture. Each clove is planted at a depth of 2-3 cm and at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. After planting, you must water it.

The container with garlic should be kept on the brightest window in the house.

2. Romaine lettuce, lettuce and watercress
Super-fast greens grow from lettuce cuttings that we usually cut and throw away. After cutting off the leaves, place the cutting in water - greenery will appear the next day. Cut off the leaves, and the cuttings will continue to produce greenery.

Romaine lettuce will come back to life if you keep it in water for several days so that the water covers half the plant. After this, new leaves will immediately appear, and the plant can be planted in the ground again.

Lettuce in water grows from the center of the head, so it needs the lower part to grow. About 3 days after planting, new shoots will be visible, and after 2 weeks it will be possible to harvest.

Watercress is one of the best crops for home gardens.

Firstly, it - like onions - is extremely unpretentious. Those who do not have the opportunity or desire to spend time on labor-intensive care for the “beds” on the windowsill will certainly appreciate this, I think.
Secondly, it is very early ripening: already 2-3 weeks after the emergence of shoots (and they won’t keep you waiting either) you will be pleased with young vitamin greens.
Thirdly, nature has endowed watercress with many useful properties: Regular consumption of this crop helps normalize blood pressure, improve digestion and sleep. It was used as a remedy for scurvy, and the juice was used to treat anemia and vitamin deficiencies.

Watercress grows successfully on windowsills in winter - it is very cold-resistant (the ideal temperature for it is considered to be from +15 to +18 degrees) and is not demanding of light. The only thing it needs is regular moistening of the soil and air, since this plant does not like drought. In order to always have greens on the table, it is recommended to sow another portion of watercress every 7-10 days.

3. Bok choy - Chinese cabbage
Chinese kale is considered a unique source of vitamins C and A.
You can regularly replenish their supply by placing the lower part of the stem in water and remembering to change it periodically.

In a well-lit room, place the plant root in water. Keep it there for 1-2 weeks, after which you can transplant the cabbage into a pot. There it will grow into a full cabbage.

A windowsill and a container of water can give a second life to Chinese cabbage. It grows from the center, so to grow it you will need the lower part of the head of cabbage.

4. Coriander (cilantro)
Coriander grows well in water. Try to plant it, and the fragrant sprout will immediately delight you with a riot of greenery.

5. Green onions
According to the unanimous opinion of everyone who has ever tried to grow greens on a windowsill, the safest option is onions, especially in winter, when there is little light. It adapts equally easily to any container - cans of water or any plastic container with the ground.

This plant also feels quite comfortable without soil.
Green onions will grow back if you leave them in a small glass with the roots in the water. The room where it will grow should be well lit.

As planting material, you can use both onion sets (large fraction - selections) and ordinary onion. I've tried both options; Of course, the harvest from sets (or small turnips) is smaller - the bulb is depleted faster. But the feather - for my taste - is softer and more delicate.
In addition, a small onion takes less space upon landing. A large bulb produces more greenery, its feathers are usually larger, and it takes longer to harvest from it.

The onion needs to be peeled, cut off the top and bottom (very carefully to preserve the growing points) and inserted into the hole of a jar of water with the bottom down.

Jars, glasses and cups are not convenient only because the bulbs in them often rot. This is easy to avoid. Insert the onion into a clean but no longer needed sock, fill the jar a third with water and lower the sock into the water. The water will rise up the sock and moisten the bulb and then its roots.

If there is no free room in the house glassware, you can adapt any containers for forcing onions, for example, plastic boxes in which salads are laid out in supermarkets. According to the size of each box, you need to take a sheet of thick cardboard and cut holes in it according to the diameter of the onion. Then pour water into the container, cover with cardboard, and insert the onions into the holes so that they barely touch the water.

In addition, you can grow green onions and in a regular plate. Do not pour into a plate a large number of standing water at room temperature and lay the bulbs tightly together, trying to keep them vertical. The water should cover the bulbs by no more than a quarter.

Also remember a few simple rules growing onions for greens in water:

It is better to pre-disinfect the container for forcing green onions, be it a jar or a plate, with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
The water should just lightly touch the bottom of the bulb.
Do not immerse the bulbs entirely in water; it will rot.
Until the roots grow, keep the container with the bulbs in a cool place.
Until the roots appear, the water in the containers must be changed twice a day - morning and evening. When the greens begin to grow, change the water every 24 hours. If you feed onions by dissolving fertilizers in water, change the liquid once a week.
From time to time, rinse the roots of the bulbs and dishes under running water.
To prevent the bulbs from rotting, periodically remove them from containers with water and leave them “in the wild” for three to four hours.
Place each batch of onions for forcing two weeks after the previous one, and then fresh greens will be on your table continuously.

So, you can plant onions for forcing in small containers with water/nutrient solution or in the ground. I personally like the second option better: bulbs in water often begin to rot, emitting a specific aroma; I’ve never had this kind of incident happen to me with unpaved ones.

Growing onions for greens in the soil:

It is recommended to add a hydrogel soaked in Gumi solution to the soil for planting (this biological product strengthens the plants, additionally nourishes them, and increases resistance to disease). In room conditions, the soil substrate dries out quickly, and the hydrogel prevents the bulbs from suffering from moisture deficiency.

To always have a harvest, it is best to plant onions regularly - every 10-14 days. Then, by the time the harvest from the first “bed” is fully harvested, the greens on the next one will ripen - and so on until spring.

I use small plastic boxes for planting. I pour expanded clay on the bottom (there are no holes for draining excess moisture in the boxes, so drainage is necessary), and on top - soil with hydrogel up to about half of the box. Having slightly compacted the mixture, I plant the bulbs in it close to each other, without burying them in the soil. I water it generously and that’s it :))

Since I usually plant already sprouted bulbs, I don’t have to wait long for the harvest.

6. Leeks
The green part of this plant is undeservedly given less attention. Meanwhile, it can be used in soups, pies and a number of other dishes, which is what many famous chefs do.

You won't be short of fresh shoots if you immerse the lower, white part of the stem in water.

7. Carrots
The root crop of this plant cannot be grown in a vase with water, but greens are a completely doable task. Simply place the cut top of the carrot in a bowl of water. Greens can be used in salads, baked goods, pesto and other dishes.

Carrot tops grow back within a week from cut carrot butts. Just put them in water and place them on a bright windowsill. Change the water every 3-4 days, it should not rot.
If you have sand, place your butts on wet sand, it will be ideal. Make sure the sand is always damp.

Carrot tops are tasty and healthy. It contains no less carotene and potassium than the root, and it is also pure fiber. It can be added to salads and borscht; when fresh it can be a little bitter, but no more so than arugula.

8. Beet tops from scraps
Beet tops can be grown in the same way as carrot tops - by placing them in water or on damp sand. Cutting the stems as they grow, leaving cuttings, they will grow again and again.

Beet tops, to my taste, are much tastier than any green salad. It also contains a lot of iodine, a whole range of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Eat it in salads, sandwiches, cook botvinya and borscht. I recommend!

9. Basil
Basil is one of the most fragrant and favorite herbs among housewives. At the same time, it is quite unpretentious and grows well on a windowsill.
Basil takes root very easily - place freshly cut small basil shoots 3-4 cm long in a glass of water in direct sunlight, after five days the roots will appear and you can plant.

Basil loves sun, so place it in a south-facing window. When five or six leaves appear, cut off the top of the basil to encourage it to grow wider and bushier.
When the sprouts double in size, you can plant the plant in the soil. The basil will be lush and healthy again.

Any soil from the store will be suitable as soil; buy nitrogen fertilizer for it. If the basil has buds, they must be cut off, otherwise it will produce flowers rather than leaves.

10. Celery

We don’t need the whole bunch of celery to force greens at home. Only its lowest root part is needed, which is usually thrown away after breaking off the edible juicy petioles.

So, cut off the base of the celery bunch, stepping back about 5 cm from the bottom of the bunch. - we get a kind of “rosette”.
You just need to put it in a glass or any other low container and pour in a little water so that it covers no more than half of the “socket”. It is advisable to place the container with the plant on a bright windowsill.

Now all that remains is to wait and add water to the glass from time to time. In a couple of days, the first green leaves will begin to emerge from the center of the celery “rosette,” and after a week, whole sprigs of fresh greenery will appear.
It can be used both fresh and dry, making it an aromatic seasoning for dishes. The water should be changed every 2-3 days.
Roots will begin to grow from the base of the bunch, so if there is free flower pot and soil, you can transplant celery from water to soil. But not necessarily.

A celery head (root) planted in the ground will also begin to grow green in a couple of weeks, without requiring any special care.

11. Fennel
Fennel is grown in the same way as celery.

It is necessary to leave about 5 cm at the bottom of the bulb and place it in a container filled with water.

12. Spinach
Spinach grows quite quickly, but loves cool weather, so the optimal temperature for growing it is no higher than +18 degrees. Boxes or pots with a height of 15 cm and southern windows are suitable for it - spinach needs a lot of light. If there is little light, then the temperature should be lower, up to +16 degrees.

You can use ready-made soil mixtures intended for decorative house plants.
Before sowing, soak the seeds for two days, then place them in the furrows to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. The distance between the seeds is 4 cm, between the furrows - 6 cm. Spinach should be watered generously, you can even spray it. It is better not to feed the soil - it is believed that spinach easily accumulates nitrates.

13. Ginger
To grow ginger at home, you will need a piece of fresh and smooth ginger root with a couple of live buds. If the root is too dry, you can keep it in warm water for a while.

Ginger should be planted in a pot or box with soil with the buds facing up. The ideal conditions for this plant are a warm, humid, bright place, but without direct sunlight. In addition to the fact that ginger is tasty and healthy, it is also beautiful (somewhat reminiscent of reeds), so it can even be grown for decorative purposes

14. Lemongrass
This lemon grass is quite unpretentious and can even grow in a glass of water.

Cut 4 cm of plants from the bottom and put them in water - now you will always have one of the essential ingredients of tom yum soup on hand.

Before the weather warms up, you can grow whatever you want at home. But don’t expect the greenery on the windowsill to reach the same size as in the garden: this won’t happen at home. In the end, the process itself is important to us! And the harvest will not take long to arrive.
Based on materials from econet.ru, steaklovers.menu

I wish you success and great harvests!

People experience a lack of vitamins especially acutely with the onset of winter. To replenish the supply, you have to go to the store and buy expensive vegetables. Few people think that you can grow greens right at home on the windowsill. In this case, it will be possible to avoid high costs and enjoy your body with vitamins. Moreover, at home - a pleasant leisure time that does not cause any particular inconvenience.

Growing greens at home

In order to grow a living supply of vitamins on your windowsills you will need:

Pots and containers. It’s good if they are not very deep, but wide;
Substrate intended for vegetable seedlings. Vermicompost with coconut fiber would be ideal;
Pot drainage material;
Airtight polyethylene. It will serve as a small greenhouse;
Water sprayer;
Fertilizer in liquid form;
Lamps that will provide uninterrupted lighting for plants.

The first thing you need to do is go to the market or a special store and buy green vegetable seeds there. Some gardening centers sell plants that have already sprouted. Purchased seeds are planted in wide containers. After this you will need ongoing care, and greens will provide you with a harvest for the whole winter. To grow vegetables on windowsills, it is best to purchase low-growing plants. Don't forget to look at the expiration date. It is preferable to choose early or shrubby type plants.

Photo of greenery on the windowsill

What conditions are needed for greenery to grow?

Crops can be grown all year round. The simplest option is seed plants. They are sown in early spring. It is during this period that future greenery can receive the necessary reserves of humus, which is necessary for stable growth. After planting, the seeds need to be provided with constant watering and lighting conditions. But we are considering the option of growing it in winter.

Such greenery will require more effort and waste. After all, in winter there is very little lighting, as daylight hours become shorter. Therefore, for growth you need to take care of additional devices. On sunny days, you need to increase the day with artificial light by no more than 4-5 hours, and when it is cloudy, you will need more. For stable growth, it is necessary to provide the seedlings with light for 14 hours. Incandescent lamps should be located no higher than 50 centimeters above the plant. The exact height depends on the crop being grown.

When growing greens on a windowsill in winter, you need to remember that there are pipes under the windowsill that transmit heat. This means that the water in the soil of the seedlings will quickly dry out. This suggests that the plant needs to be provided with water more often. To make the air humid between the pots, you can place a container filled with water or cover the plants with a damp cloth.

It is best to use natural substances as fertilizer. Naturally, this is not entirely possible to do in the room. But if it works out, it’s best this way. The way out of the situation is mineral supplements as an alternative to organic ones.

What greens can be grown at home?

This kind of greenery is not so scarce. Each requires special care, so let’s look at the crops in more detail.

Parsley or celery. To grow parsley on a windowsill, you can plant seeds or roots. When choosing seeds, they need to be wrapped in gauze and placed under warm water. This procedure lasts half an hour. After this, the seeds should dry out within 24 hours. The pot where the greens will be planted must have drainage and substrate. The latter is laid at 0.5 centimeters. Until the first shoots sprout, the sowing should be in a dark place and watered consistently every other day. After the first shoots appear, the pot is placed closer to the light. The first fruits of labor grow within 6 weeks.

Green salad. This culture loves lighting very much. Before growing it, it must be provided with uninterrupted artificial light. Another condition is the creation of humidity. Otherwise the plant will be bitter. You need to water the sprouts at your own discretion.

Onion. Anyone can grow onions, even a novice gardener. You just need to dip the bulb in a container of water and over time it will begin to grow and the first greens will appear. The main condition is that only the roots should be found in the water, otherwise the seedling will be damaged. It is best to scald the onion prematurely with boiled water and cut off the top. When growing green onions in the ground, you need to provide it with hydrogel. Otherwise, the soil will dry out and greenery will never appear.

Dill. To sow a large container, only 3 grams of seeds are enough. It is best to use peat. Before sowing future seedlings, seeds must undergo a disinfection procedure.

Basil. When planting basil seeds, you will have to wait a long time until the first shoots appear. By propagating plants by hydro, the fruits will be ready within 5 days. Basil loves nitrogen fertilizers.

Top 5 greens that are easy to grow at home

Methods of growing on the windowsill have become extremely popular. But few people are familiar with the list of seedlings that grow best at home. They will bear fruit in a month and a half.

Green onions. Obviously, this is the plant that grows best and does not require a lot of care. Surely everyone has encountered the cultivation of this crop. Take, for example, childhood, when children tried to get green onions by leaving the onion in water. These greens are perfect in every way. It grows very quickly and does not require special care. In addition, onions contain a lot of vitamins. The most common bulbs for planting are set or turnip. Bigger harvest brings onions. This bulb provides a lot of healthy greens all year round.

You can buy a seedling at any supermarket. It is best to plant it for forcing. To do this you will need a small container filled with liquid. But more often the option of forcing into the soil is used. Because sometimes the bulb can get damaged if it is placed in the wrong way in the water. Hydrogel is introduced into the ground. It does not allow the plant to lack water nutrition. It is best to plant onions every two weeks. Then the harvest will provide its owner with fresh green onions all year round without interruption.

Cress salad. This culture is deservedly among the best. There are many reasons for this. The seedling does not require any special features when growing. In general, the plant is unpretentious. It will be especially pleasant to grow it for those who do not have time to constantly look after the plant. The first harvest can be harvested within 3 weeks from planting. In addition, watercress has a huge number of beneficial properties. It has a great effect on blood pressure, digestive processes and healthy sleep. In ancient times, lettuce was used to cure scurvy. Watercress tolerates frost well. Ideally room temperature should be at least 15 degrees. But do not forget about moistening the soil, otherwise the plant will dry out. It is recommended to water the seedlings every week.

Photo of watercress salad

Leaf lettuce. This plant has its own whims. Therefore, before planting, you need to take into account that the lettuce will need additional lighting, as it loves a lot of light. But you can cheat and choose the Ross or Bionda culture. They are more tolerant of darkness. Do not forget to water the plant, since leafy seedlings simply cannot tolerate heavy fat, much less dry soil. If you forget about watering, its leaves will become tasteless and bitter. Be sure to thin out the lettuce sprouts. This is done twice a month. It's best not to try to grow lettuce. This will require experience and effort. This form of lettuce is very demanding and requires constant care.

Photo of lettuce on the windowsill

Parsley. These greens are grown either by seeds or by forcing. The forcing is done from the roots. You need to prepare for it. Root vegetables can always be purchased in stores. To plant a root crop, you need to moisten the soil in the pot. The roots are planted directly into the ground to the very top. If the top is very long, then it is best to trim it or plant the plant at an angle. Of course, it is better to choose the second option. It is more popular and productive.

Photo of parsley on a windowsill at home

When growing seed parsley, you need to know that the plant loves light very much. The seeds grow rather slowly. The speed of plant emergence is increased by soaking the seeds in a special solution. The good news is that parsley is frost-resistant. Therefore, this plant will be simply excellent on the windowsill. There is no great need for water either. Therefore, watering should be done at personal discretion.

Chives. To grow this plant you need to be properly prepared. It is best to prepare material for planting in the fall. The seedlings are cut off and planted in the ground. After which the distillation is stored in a cool place. As soon as winter begins, the seedlings are stored on the windowsill closer to the light. The first feather does not take long to arrive. The harvest is obtained from the plant only twice. The main condition for growing chives is constant provision moisture. If there is not enough water in the ground, the greens will begin to coarse and acquire a bitter taste.

Photo of chives for growing on a windowsill

In general, you can grow absolutely any greenery on your windowsill, not just those listed. Experienced gardeners can harvest radishes, dill, cilantro or even peas at home. How to grow greens at home on a windowsill? The main thing is to comply with all the conditions that the plant requires. And there are not so many of them. The main thing is moisture and light.

Anyone can start a miniature garden on the windowsill and grow fresh herbs all year round, regardless of the seasons. Young shoots of plants used for food do not require complex care, which means that their cultivation is possible even at home.

In this article we will talk in detail about how to grow herbs on a windowsill all year round.

We grow greens on the windowsill all year round

Eating fresh greens is not just a tasty, but also a healthy habit. You can improve the taste of dishes with parsley, basil, celery, dill, cilantro, marjoram, lovage and many other seasonings that add a piquant aroma to meat, fish, potatoes and other products. Just a few secrets of growing technology will help you grow real green beds right on your windowsill. In addition, such a decorative element always refreshes the interior. The advantage is that plants grown on your own definitely do not contain nitrates and other harmful chemical components that have a detrimental effect on health.

Today, products labeled eco, bio or organic are worth significantly more to ensure that they have been grown, harvested and processed according to organic cultivation standards. By purchasing vegetables with this label, you can be sure that the manufacturer grew them without resorting to pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and growth stimulants. Greens grown on a balcony or on a windowsill are a biological product that will be cheaper compared to store or market prices.

In order to grow a high-quality harvest of greenery on your windowsill, you need to adhere to the following conditions:

Green plants require lighting for 13-15 hours a day. For this reason, it is necessary to install lamps that simulate daylight above the pots of herbs. These lamps are installed at a distance of 10-50 cm from pots of herbs. In autumn, plants need additional lighting in the morning, while in winter additional lighting is needed in the evening;
The humidity level should be constantly high. It is necessary to spray greens at least 2-3 times a day;
Synthetic and organic substances are suitable as fertilizers for the substrate.

Immediately before planting seeds, you should decide on a number of external factors that affect the growth and well-being of the greenery on the windowsill.

Selecting a location

From the point of view of ergonomics and technologies for growing greenery in room conditions, the optimal place for growing these crops is a glazed loggia or window sill. Plants develop better on the sunny side, where they have enough ultraviolet radiation. If it is impossible to meet this condition, purchase a lamp for additional illumination at any agricultural or florist store. If there is not enough space on the windowsill, it is worth expanding it with additional boards or installing vertical shelves for beds and pots.

We select containers

Almost any container is suitable for planting greenery seedlings on a windowsill using simple technology:

Plastic or wooden containers;
Boxes for seedlings;
Pots made of plastic or clay.

A more non-standard option - glass vessels or jars, but it is more difficult to arrange drainage in them due to the impossibility of making holes in the bottom. But glass containers look very impressive. If there are drainage holes, containers are placed in pallets so that the window sill does not swell from moisture and begin to rot or crack.

Suitable soil composition

Mixtures for indoor garden You can stock up at the flower market, although the technology for preparing them is extremely simple - you can do it yourself. For greenery, a soil mixture that includes the following types of soil is suitable:

Garden black soil;
Peat;
River sand;
Wood sawdust.

The soil is placed in a container in layers, alternating soil, peat, compost and turf. First, drainage in the form of small pebbles, expanded clay or crushed stone is placed at the bottom of the container.

Which seeds to choose?

When choosing seeds and technology for seedlings of greenery at home, it is not difficult to become a victim of deception by unscrupulous sellers. There are often cases when a novice gardener, for example, buys peppermint seeds, and after a while whole thickets of... nettles grow in his home. Greens seeds are inexpensive, but growing plants takes a lot of time and labor. To avoid wasting time and effort, follow the tips listed below when choosing seeds for seedlings:

Check the State Register data. Thanks to this resource, you can not only find out the characteristics of seeds, but also find out whether it is worth growing a particular crop in a certain region of the Russian Federation;
Read the opinions on thematic forums. Beginning gardeners often share their opinions about a particular manufacturer;
Buy only high-quality domestically produced seeds. Seedlings of exotic greenery should be treated with caution, as they may not germinate in the northern regions;
Buy green seeds only in certified packaging. Inspect it carefully before purchasing - the package with seeds must be intact. Also, the bag of seed must be completely dry. If the bag is damp and has a damp smell, the seeds are probably damp and cannot be sown;
Check the expiration date. Old seeds do not germinate.

Advice experienced gardeners: Buy green seeds exclusively in specialized stores!

Tools and materials for planting

Additionally, you should prepare everything necessary tools:

Fertilizers for feeding, organic and mineral;
Thermometer for measuring water temperature;
A container for settling water for irrigation;
Watering can with a long spout;
Spray;
Ultraviolet lamp;
Leveling rake;
Secateurs for pruning.

When storing plantings, it should be taken into account that different types greens can be combined or incompatible with each other due to different moisture regimes. In principle, you can use a long container for seedlings. However, remember that simple herbs like parsley, dill and celery will get along in the same container. But it is better to plant oregano, basil, marjoram and thyme in a separate pot.

There are many ways and nuances when planting greens in containers at home. Let's consider another option:

Care and watering

Growing greens in a pot on a windowsill is not difficult if you follow the correct watering and care regime:

Emerged seedlings are regularly thinned out. This frees up space for new shoots, and the stronger shoots are used for food;
The soil layer needs constant loosening so that the root system receives air. Do not loosen the soil too intensively, otherwise the roots may be damaged;
The degree of soil moisture depends on the type of greenery that was planted. Parsley and watercress love daily watering, and marjoram or sage need enough watering once every 2 to 3 days. The key rule for irrigation is that the earthen ball should not dry out;
If there is a radiator under the windowsill, during the heating season it is covered with a wet towel or sheet so that the hot air does not burn or destroy the seedlings;
The smaller the leaves of the greenery, the more it likes frequent spraying;
Water for irrigation settles for two to three days and is used in a moderately warm state;
To retain moisture in the soil, a special hydrogel is purchased;
If there is a lack of natural light, a phytolamp is hung above the container with sprouts at a level close in distance to the leaves.

With careful care and careful treatment of plantings, you will collect several harvests of greenery per season, and your window garden will be pleasing to the eye and help save the family budget.

What greens can you grow at home?

At home, if the technologies for growing these crops are followed, the following greens successfully take root:

Dill. Enough whimsical plant, however, the varieties “Gribovsky”, “Reshilye” and “Grenadier” are successfully grown in pots on the windowsill;
Basil (annual varieties);
Peppermint;
Parsley (early varieties, for example “Sugar”, “Leaf” and “Harvest”);
Onion (any variety).

Let's talk in more detail about the technology of growing each of the plants listed above.

Dill and parsley

The technology for growing dill and parsley is simple:

First, the soil is prepared. The soil should be light and nutritious; garden chernozem mixed with sand and plant humus is ideal. You should not grow herbs on loams - dill and parsley will grow worse;
Parsley is planted in late autumn (November) or in April, while dill is planted only in spring. Optimal temperature for planting greenery - +15-18 degrees Celsius;
Seeds are sown in 2 longitudinal grooves. The distance between seedlings is 20 cm;
Greens require abundant watering. Therefore, once every 2 days you need to spray the seedlings.

Gardening advice: As they grow, the leaves of dill and parsley are not removed. These plants can reproduce successfully without additional intervention.

Basil

The technology for growing basil is as follows:

The soil for planting is heated in the oven;
Basil seeds are soaked in clean water for 12 hours;
Drainage substance is poured into the pot, then soil is filled. The finished substrate is moistened with a small amount of water;
The seeds are sown, the planting container is covered with cling film;
The pot with seeds is left in a warm place until the seedlings appear;
As soon as the seedlings appear, the film is removed.

Gardening advice: Don't forget to light the basil! This plant really needs additional light for 15 hours a day.

Onion

The technology of growing onions has been familiar to many of us since school. To germinate the bulb we need glass containers into which a small amount of water is poured. The bulb is lowered into the water, and as soon as it takes root, it can be safely transplanted into the ground.

But there is a technology for quickly rooting several bulbs at once:

Take a 10 liter plastic bottle from drinking water;
Select high-quality bulbs without damage or defects;
Fill the container with soil and compact it;
Cut out cells in the body of the bottle that are the size of the bulbs;
Stick a bulb into each cell so that the feather part of the plant “looks out”;
Place the container with herbs on a bright windowsill and water it once every 3 days.

Gardening advice: To speed up germination, you can trim the top of each bulb.

Peppermint

The easiest way to grow peppermint at home is from cuttings. The technology for growing greens is presented below:

Cuttings are prepared from mint rhizomes in the fall, after the end of the plant's growing season. If the greens are not planted immediately, the cuttings should be stored in a cool place;
Before planting greens, examine the cuttings and divide them so that each piece contains shoots with dormant buds;
Plant the mint cuttings in prepared containers with soil. Shoots will appear in 10-12 days.

Gardening advice: for better growth of greenery on the windowsill, fertilize mint with urea in proportions of 1 gram per 1 liter of water.

Why should you grow greens at home?

Greens should be grown at home according to the following reasons:

You will have access to natural vitamins throughout the year, including the cold season;
Seasonal and off-season prices for fresh vegetables and herbs sometimes vary tenfold. With a home garden, you will not spend extra money on purchasing healthy products, the presence of which is mandatory in your diet;
The process of plant cultivation itself is a creative activity that brings relaxation and moral satisfaction;
Growing greens on a windowsill is an original and productive hobby that will enrich your knowledge of botany and agronomics and gardening technologies;

Also, if there are children in the family, this process will become another reason for spending time together.

Greens are a source of healthy vitamins, excellent remedy to support immunity, and simply a delicious seasoning for cold and hot dishes. In summer there is no shortage of it, but in cold weather it is quite expensive.

Therefore there is Alternative option, and also very simple. From this article you will learn how to grow greens at home on any type of windowsill at any time of the year.

You can get almost any spice at home - feather onions, leaf varieties salads, lemon balm, mint, dill, mustard.

Greens on the windowsill can be grown from seeds, cuttings, roots, tubers - it all depends on how much you need it and how interesting you are in the process of organizing a mini-garden. But it's better to choose low-growing varieties, bushy and early ripening.

Important! If you want a stable increase in greenery at home, for example, if you plan to sell it, then it is better to use methods with seeds. Such plants will produce crops more abundantly and for a longer period of time.

When to grow?

Planting greenery on the window can be done at any time of the year. Only in summer will there be sufficient natural conditions of light and heat. But in the autumn-winter season, when growing some crops, you will have to additionally take care of effective lighting using special lamps and devices to maintain a stable level of temperature and humidity.

What do you need to grow greens at home?

In order for all the effort and time spent to produce results, you need to be puzzled by 2 points:

the necessary set of tools and devices;
microclimate conditions.

Important! As for growing technologies, some varieties of greens can be planted not in the ground, but using hydroponic systems, or for the smallest volumes even ordinary 100-200 ml jars of water.

Equipment for planting greenery:

Pots or containers of appropriate volume - they should not be very deep and wide;
High-quality soil for planting - excellent universal will do a purchased version based on coconut fiber and vermicompost, or soil from your garden flavored with ash solution and superphosphate;
Pebbles or expanded clay to create a drainage layer;
PVC bags or caps;
Spray;
Phytolamps or fluorescent, LED systems for lighting in winter.

Growing conditions

Each crop has its own specific requirements regarding environmental conditions.

But in general, we can highlight several general points for growing greens on a windowsill at home:

Lighting. In winter, you will have to use auxiliary lighting sources, and it is better if they are equipped with timers with automatic shutdown. This way you will have to spend less time caring for your mini-garden.
The soil. Regardless of whether you plan to use soil from your garden or use purchased soil, it must be disinfected before planting greens. For this you can use the most different ways- calcination in the oven, evaporation on the stove, steaming in the microwave, watering with a solution of potassium permanganate (in this case, take 3-5 g of powder per 10 liters of water).
Drainage. Be sure to place a layer of drainage material at the bottom of the containers to prevent soil rotting. An excellent alternative to material for drainage is hydrogel, which will either release moisture when there is a lack of it, or absorb excess.
Watering. If you plan to grow greens in pots in the ground, be sure to follow the watering rules recommended for the crop you have chosen. Otherwise, a lack of moisture, as well as an excess, may not have the best effect on both the appearance of plants and their taste qualities- they will either be bland or begin to taste bitter.

Since there are quite a lot of options for greens that can easily be grown at home, let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular types.

Bow on feather

Let's start with the simplest and most popular - onions. Even schoolchildren are involved in growing it as a practical tasks in biology.

Methods:

In water. Here they use jars of water, special hydroponic systems, and egg containers. The main thing is that only the very bottom part of the bulb should be in the liquid, ideally the root system.
In the ground. Use peat pots, special containers, boxes made from wooden planks, even plastic bottles for 5 liters. The planting depth should be minimal, since only the root part of the bulb is located in the ground itself. Place the bulbs as close to each other as possible.

Preparation:

All bulbs should be dense, without signs of rot, with shiny husks.
It is better to choose the same size - 2-4 cm in diameter.
Before planting, the lower part is cut off a little at the bottom, the bulb is placed in water for a day or two so that it takes root.

Important! The following varieties of green onions performed best when grown at home:

Timiryazevsky;
Spassky;
Pogarsky
Arzamas;
Strigunovsky;
Union.

Planting and care rules:

First, you need to place the containers with onions in a cool and dark place - this is necessary for the development of the root system.
Next, move the greens to be grown on the windowsill, but make sure that the temperature is within 18-24C.
It is not advisable to place containers too close to heating radiators.
When growing in water, you can add ash in an amount of 50 g per 10 liters or a couple of tablets of activated carbon to prevent rotting of the water and planting material. Take only settled water and top it up as needed.
Water green onions in the ground - once every 2-4 days.
The first harvest is not harvested when the initial feathers appear, but after 2-3 weeks.

Important! To ensure a continuous onion harvest, you can plant several greens at home with an interval of 10-12 days.

Chives

Chives have a milder, more delicate flavor than regular greens, making them a great option if you're wondering what kind of greens you can grow on your windowsill at home.

Important! A good selection of varieties - Bohemia, Albion, Chemal. Usually, at home, the harvest from one plant can be obtained twice, after which planting material is depleted.

Planting material will need to be prepared in advance - in the fall. For this:

You can dig up several bulbs and immediately place them in boxes with soil, leaving them in a cool place.
You can take incisors, which are also then pressed onto the pen.
You can plant seeds, but it will take longer to grow greens at home than in the previous 2 options.

Important! Planting and care are similar to growing ordinary green onions in the ground, only shoots usually occur earlier.

Parsley and celery

Parsley and celery are the next most popular crops for growing herbs at home. Important conditions for these plants are good lighting and soil with high fertile properties.

Growing methods and choice of materials:

Seeds. In this case, the planting material is first wrapped in clean gauze and kept in a running water, then leave it in this form in a cool place (maybe in the refrigerator) for a day. You can additionally disinfect the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate - a standard proportion of 3-5 g of powder per 10 liters of water is used.
Planting root crops. To plant parsley, select roots about 5 cm long and 2 cm in diameter. It is very desirable that the apical bud be formed.

The same requirements apply to celery - the roots should be thick, but not long.

Important! The best varieties parsley for growing at home is:

Harvest;
Aster;
Beads;
Sugar;
Vorozheya;
Emerald lace;
Fitness;
Borodinskaya.

Planting seeds:

The soil must be used with drainage.
When planting seeds, they are buried 0.5 cm.
Until the first shoots appear, keep the boxes in a dark place and water them every other day.
After the greenery germinates at home, the plants are thinned out, maintaining an interval of 4 cm.
The harvest is harvested when the seedlings grow 10-12 cm - usually 1-1.5 months.

Growing parsley and celery from root vegetables:

Containers and soil are disinfected with potassium permanganate.
A drainage layer is placed at the bottom.
The distances between seedlings are 2-3 cm, between rows - 4-5 cm, deepening into the soil is done to such a level that there is still about 2 cm of soil on top.
First, place the boxes in a cool and dark place. Water moderately.
The greens are transferred to the windowsill after the shoots have appeared.
The first harvest is harvested after 3-4 weeks.

Rules of care:

Every day, the containers are turned 180 degrees so that all plants receive sunlight evenly.
Temperature: 15-20C.

Salad

Lettuce is demanding on growing conditions, especially with regard to lighting and air humidity. Therefore, when grown in winter time greenery on the windowsill, you will definitely have to think about the placement of additional phytolamps.

Important! The best varieties for growing at home:

Zorepad;
Emerald lace;
Snowflake;
Vitamin;
Raspberry and Gold Ball;
New Year;
Lollo Rossa and Lollo Bionda.

Landing rules:

Choose containers with a depth of at least 20 cm.
If you use soil from your garden, dilute it with peat and rotted manure in equal parts. Also add 1 kg of sand, 1 kg of ash, 1 tbsp to each bucket of soil. urea and 1 tbsp. Nitrophoska. Mix everything thoroughly.
The seed placement depth is 1 cm, the distance between the grooves is 15 cm.
When growing such greenery on a windowsill, it is very important to create a greenhouse effect after planting. To do this, put on the container plastic bag or a special cap.
A week after planting, the seedlings are thinned out, maintaining a distance of 1-2 cm.
The second time, thinning is necessary after 2-3 leaves are formed on each plant; the distance is increased to 4 cm.

Care:

The leaves are sprayed daily with warm, settled water.
Once a week, water with a solution of 1 part fermented cow dung and 10 parts water.

Watercress

Watercress is in some ways even more interesting if you are deciding what greens to grow on your windowsill at home. The harvest can be obtained within 2 weeks after germination, and caring for this crop is similar to caring for green onions, that is, it is extremely simple and not burdensome. Planting is done in the same way as leaf lettuce.

Conditions:

Temperature: 15-18C.
There is no need to connect special lamps, since the crop is not very demanding on light.
Pay attention to hydration Special attention- this is a fundamentally important point.

Sorrel

Sorrel is famous for the fact that it actively releases oxygen, so growing such greens on a windowsill is useful not only as a food product, but also for normalizing the microclimate.

Landing:

From seeds. Before planting, the seeds are soaked in water on a plate and left for 2 days in a warm place. Sprouted seeds are planted at a distance of 6-7 cm.
From the roots. For this purpose, 3-year-old plants are taken. The roots are shortened by 15 cm, planted in a container, where first there is a layer of drainage, then a layer of sand, then a layer of fertile soil. The distance should be minimal so that the plant develops into the greenery and not into the root system.

The first harvest is harvested within a month.

Care:

The first week after planting, they are placed in a cold place with a temperature of about 10C, then they are transferred to a windowsill in a room where 20C is stably maintained.
For fertilizer, you can use coffee grounds or a decoction of onion peels.
There should be a lot of lighting.

Spinach

Spinach is a very valuable crop, and if you decide to buy it in the store in winter, it will be expensive. But planting and growing such greens on a windowsill is very simple.

How to plant correctly:

The boxes should be 15 cm deep.
Before planting, the seeds are soaked in water overnight and then treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
The best soil is the one intended for decorative indoor plants.
The distance between the grooves is 6 cm, the sowing depth is 1.5-2 cm, the distance between seeds is 4 cm.

The harvest is harvested in 3-4 weeks.

Care:

Watering after emergence is abundant and regular.
Temperature - from 15 to 18C, a decrease is not critical, but an increase should be avoided.
A month after the emergence of seedlings, add another 2-3 cm of soil.

Dill

In terms of popularity, dill is on a par with parsley and onions.

Important! The following varieties are best suited for planting at home:

Grenadier;
Gribovsky;
Armenian-269;
Kaskelsky;
Uzbek-243.

Landing rules:

The soil is saturated with peat.
Before planting, the seeds are soaked for a day, the water is changed every 4-6 hours, and at the end they are disinfected with potassium permanganate.
The distance between the grooves is 15 cm, the sowing depth is 1-2 cm.
After sowing, the containers are covered with film, which is removed after 1-1.5 weeks.
The harvest is obtained in 4-5 weeks.

Care:

Temperature - 18C.
Every day the pots are turned 180 degrees.
Fertilizers - you can apply the “Rainbow” solution once every 2 weeks according to the instructions.

Basil

Basil is a very specific spice that will certainly be appreciated by all lovers of delicacies and unusual tastes.

Growing methods:

Seeds. They are soaked in water for 2 days, changing it every 6 hours, after sowing, they are covered with film and immediately placed on the windowsill on the south side. The growing process until the first harvest will be longer.
Stems - they are kept in water for 5 days, and after the formation of roots they are planted in the ground. The harvest can be harvested after 2 weeks.

Care:

When 5-6 leaves are formed, plants are pinched to increase tillering.
Nitrogen fertilizers are used for fertilizing.
The buds are cut off immediately.
Temperature - 20-25C, not lower.
Watering - every morning, you can additionally turn on spraying.
Loosening - every 3 days.

Cilantro

Cilantro - unpretentious plant with an original and quite strong smell, somewhat reminiscent of parsley.

Important! To grow greens on a windowsill at home, it is better to use the following varieties:

Change;
Amber.

Landing rules:

The seeds are first germinated by placing them in damp sawdust at a temperature of 17-20C.
The sowing depth in the soil is 2 cm, the distance between the seeds is 5-10 cm.
After sowing, the container is covered with film and placed in a well-lit place.
The film is lifted briefly every day to ensure air flow.
The first harvest is harvested a month after germination. In this case, it is better to pinch off the leaves rather than cut the stems.

Care:

Daily watering and spraying.
Temperature - 10-12C.
For feeding, you can use a solution of Flora fertilizer - 3-5 ml diluted in 1 liter of water.

Rosemary

An exquisite plant with a very delicate aroma. Growing such greens on a windowsill is quite difficult, but if you like this spice, then all the effort is worth it.

Important! Of the species, only Fragrant is suitable.

Landing rules:

The pots must be spacious so that the roots develop well.
The soil is slightly alkaline; there must be an expanded clay cushion underneath.
Before planting, seeds are germinated in damp gauze for 2 days.
After planting, the container is covered with film, making several punctures in it.
Shoots appear only after 2-4 weeks.
When the plant grows to 9 cm and produces 3-5 leaves, make a pick.

Care:

The light must be intense.
Watering is moderate. It is important that there is no excess moisture, a small amount is better.
Temperature - 10-15C.

Thyme

Thyme is very good for planting on a windowsill. If you choose this type of greenery, follow these rules:

Drainage layer - 2 cm.
Soil is the one that is used for planting vegetables.
Seed depth is 1.5-2 cm.
Moisten the soil with a spray bottle.
The location of the pots is bright, but not in direct sunlight.
In winter, you can provide additional lighting with special lamps.

Melissa

Melissa is good not only as an edible green, but also as a medicinal plant. To grow it at home:

Dig up a bush in the fall and plant it in a pot.
Use cuttings or layering for planting in a container.
You can also grow such greens on a windowsill from seeds, but this will take quite a long time. Before planting, they are soaked and disinfected. Deepen it to 1.5 cm, cover the container with film.
The soil is a mixture of humus and coconut fiber.
Watering should be regular; you can additionally spray the leaves.
The temperature is not important, nor is the access to light - a shady place is also suitable for growing.

Sage

When planting sage at home on a windowsill, follow these rules:

The soil is fertile and loose.
The pots are voluminous.
Drainage layer - 2 cm.
Seed depth is 0.5-1 cm.
The place for growing is better shaded.
Watering is not frequent, but plentiful.

Oregano

Oregano, also known as oregano, is great for growing on a windowsill at home:

The plant is very picky - any soil will do, but it is better to take separate pots.
The location is well lit; in winter, additional lighting with special lamps is required.
When planting, the seeds are buried 0.5 cm, moistened with a spray bottle, and covered with a film with an air hole.
Shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks.