Window sill gardens are good for you

Growing plants is good for the soul. Well, at least it is good for my soul. In the winter, especially in dark, wet Seattle, growing plants can be particularly difficult. In addition, this is a time when many of our souls need extra nourishment. Almost all of us are vitamin D deficient, we get outside less, we see very little daylight, and we eat fewer fresh fruits and vegetables. While growing plants in the winter is difficult, it is certainly not impossible. Here are two ways you can do it:

1. If you have south or east facing windows, pop some pots in the window sills. These areas will get a good amount of sunlight (especially south facing windows), and will still be warm enough to see a good amount of growth. I currently have an array of herbs growing in one of my window sills.

2. Use grow lights. Many of us Seattlites have full spectrum lights in our homes. While we may have originally purchased these lights to combat SAD (seasonal affective disorder), they also work as grow lights. I keep a full spectrum light on my desk. All day long it performs double duty, keeping my spirits bright, and providing photosynthetic energy to a small, indoor succulent garden.

Edibles that grow particularly well indoors:
Herbs: basil, cilantro, scallions, chervil, parsley, tarragon, mint, dill, oregano, thyme, rosemary
Salad greens: mescalin mixes, arugula, mustard greens, spinach.
Radishes.

 Don't forget that you can also start seeds on your window sill, so that they will be ready to plant when things warm up. Our growing season is relatively short, so warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants will benefit enormously by being given the extra time to come to size indoors. These plants generally cannot be put outside until May 1st.