Gardening doesn't mean that you have to limit your green thumb to the spring, summer, and fall months of the year. When it comes to growing things you can just as easily garden in the winter as you can at any other time of the year. Winter gardening means that you can enjoy green plants on your window sill even while there is snow on the ground. True, most plants go into a period of sleep during the colder winter months. Blossoms fall off and leaves turn brown. But there are several things that you can do so that you enjoy green foliage and blossoms throughout the winter months. All it takes is a few tips and a bit of patience.
It's important to remember not to over-water your plants. When plants are in a dormant (a resting period) they need less water, even if they appear brown and dry. Over- watering indoor winter plants result in dropping leaves. When you winter garden, you have to adapt the way you water your plants.
Release some moisture into your home air if at all possible. This will help both your houseplants and you. Ways to accomplish this are with a humidifier, or boiling a pot of water and letting it simmer on the stovetop. Moist air ensures that your plants won't become too dry.
There are some plants that just won't make it through a winter. Some of these are Gloxinia, Chrysanthemum, and Cyclamen. Instead of trying to change mother nature, focus on other plants that will like the winter better. When you buy a new plant, learn all that you can about it. Look for how much water and light will make it happy and healthy, so that you can care for it correctly. The more you do right, the better your chances are for having beautiful blossoms in winter.
Bugs are a common problem with winter gardening, more so than any other months of the year. If you see bugs on your indoor plants find out what you can do to each plant - don't just apply any chemical. Try to give your plants as much light in your home as possible when you winter gardening. Some plants require a sunny exposure. Make sure those plants are close to a window that gets the most sun during the short winter days.
If you try your hardest and still aren't successful, you may consider a terrarium. They are easy to keep up and you can grow cacti, some herbs, orchids and other green plants.
For thousands and thousands of years we have turned to plants we call herbs for flavor, dye, perfume and cosmetics. We have believed that individual herbs held the power to repel insects, evil and vampires, while others attracted the perfect lover, good luck or bees to pollinate our crops. For some, the use of herbs can cure headaches and burns. And, of course, what would fine dining be without the culinary herbs?
Here are some tips for herb gardening indoors that will simulate the conditions in an outside garden. For Herb gardening indoors the growing climates need to be pretty much the same as the conditions outside.
Make sure you have a sunny windowsill that your herbs will love. Use a container that is at least 6-12 inches deep.
Get your herb plants from a good garden center nursery who will have plenty of garden advice to help you with your inside garden. You will need some garden equipment like a small digging garden tool, garden gloves, organic fertilizer and some small gardening containers. You probably already have most of these garden supplies in your garden shed.
Soil is the most important aspect of growing herbs indoors. Use only top grade potting soil with an organic fertilizer mixed in. If you think it is too fine a soil, use a little perlite. Fertilize while potting the herbs and they should be happy until spring. If you have an herb that is not growing vigorously add a little organic liquid fertilizer to the water.
When you go to transplant the herb, go one inch up in the size of the gardening container. If the plant is in a two inch pot, go to a three inch gardening container. Leave the roots alone and be careful not to bruise the stem.
Don't plant oreganos, mints, lemon balm or bee balm with other plants because they will overgrow everything. Pot these herbs in a garden container all their own. You may want to always plant those herbs in containers since they tend to ?take over? the garden.
Some people swear that you must put garden stones in the bottom of the gardening container, but I dispute that opinion. I feel that the garden stones take valuable space away from the herb roots. You might want to place a small piece of wire screening over the hole to keep it from getting clogged.
Here are some examples of which herbs to plant together:
* For an Italian selection try Sweet basil, Italian parsley, Oregano, Marjoram and Thyme. * For a lovely scented container use Lavender, Rose scented geranium, Lemon balm, Lemon thyme, and Pineapple sage. * For really great salads try Garlic chives, Rocket, Salad burnet, Parsley, Celery. * And to say ?We love French Cooking!? use Tarragon, Chervil, Parsley, Chives and Sage
Allow time for your herbs to grow used to their new conditions. Once you see growth you can start using you herbs. Snip and use your herbs often to encourage them to grow full and bushy.
When it comes to light, all herbs must get 4 to 6 hours of sunlight a day on your window sill. If your window doesn't supply that much light then purchase garden grow lights and hang them three inches above the plants. If you live in a very hot climate shade the herbs during the hottest periods. If you live in a very cold climate keep the herbs away from the cold glass panes.
When it comes to watering, don't let the herbs dry out but don't drown them either. Herbs do not like to sit in wet soil. An inexpensive water meter from your garden center nursery will help with this important step in growing your herbs. Always use room temperature water so as not to shock the herb's roots.
If you follow all of these steps you will have a healthy herb garden all winter on your sunny windowsill.
Both Holly Lawrens & Mary Hanna are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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