Apartment Farming - If you have a windowsill, you can have a garden

In March, the Culinary Tips household moved from a 450 sqft apartment with no balcony or windowsills to their new home – a slightly larger apartment with some outdoor access and windowsill! Obviously, this meant it was time to start a larger garden than the tabletop Aerogarden we had going before.

Plants need three things to live:

Water, light, and a growth medium – soil, or suspension in a nutrient rich liquid.  Each of these requirements can be met in a multitude of ways.

Water:

A number of self watering pot designs are out there on the market, including the much hyped Earthbox.  There is also the Aerogarden ‘aeroponic’ system, traditional hydroponics, or the good old watering can.

Light:

High pressure sodium and metal hallide bulbs are the standard when it comes to growing uh… plants, but for the apartment gardener, both of these types of bulbs run too hot and eat too much energy.  Compact fluorescent and standard fluorescent grow lamps are becoming more commonplace, but may be little more expensive initially.  LED lamps are available, but the cost is often prohibitive, and the effectiveness depends on what kind of plant you’re going to be growing.

Growth Medium:
Aerogarden or a DIY solution for indoor tabletop ‘aeroponic’ gardening
Planters and pots of soil for windowsill gardening
Earthbox or planters of soil for patio gardening

But when it comes down to it, if you have a windowsill, you can have a garden.  A yogurt pot with some holes in the bottom filled with soil from a park sitting on a plate in a window is all it takes to grow say, a pot of basil.

Walking the Walk:

So, with all this preaching about how you should grow your own herbs, and possibly a tomato, what am I doing?

Tomatoes and Fresno chilies in an aerogarden, sprouted from gathered seed

strawberries

Lettuce and escarole in an Aerogarden Space Saver 6

Lemon verbena and thyme in yogurt pots, sitting in a planter as a drip tray

Tarragon, oregano, and rosemary

Acorn Squash, Globe Carrots, Chives

Cherry Tomatoes

pineapple mint and lemon balm

early girl tomatoes

Planning ahead:

It’s August, so its too late for outdoor planting in most places.  It is the perfect time to pick things up for indoor gardening and to get ready for next year, though.  Planters, nutrients, soil, and seeds are often discounted 50% or more at department stores in the summer.  Buy them now and store them away to get a head start on the 2011 season.  If you’re buying seeds, be aware that the older the seeds, the less likely they are to germinate.  With the discounts that some retailers are offering right now, it’s probably worth the risk.

Most of the garden I have going didn’t get planted until mid to late June, as I was still gathering soil and planters until then.  Next year, things will be sprouted in Rockwool – a fibreglass spongey material that retains water.  You can find it online, or at garden and hydroponic stores.  It is cheap, and can be cut into any size and shape you need for germination.  Jiffy, the maker of the Jiffy peat pots also makes a nice 80 slot seed starter tray with peat pellets, a drainage rack, and a lid that can be had for about $7, and is great for indoor seed starting.

I know this has been light on the tips and tutorials, but I mainly wanted to inspire those that haven’t played with gardening to get their hands dirty, so to speak.  One thing you’re likely to run into, both indoors and out, are some pests.  Little critters live in dirt, and little critters like eating your plants.

Dealing With Pests:

Aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies are common indoor pests.  There are a number of treatments people use to remove and destroy pests: washing with a light dish detergent solution, dabbing with rubbing alcohol, and neem oil.  Neem oil is probably the most effective of the above methods, as it is a strong deterrant to most pests.  My favorite method, however, is total obliteration with diatomaceous earth.  Ground up, fossilized diatoms absorb the fats in the exoskeletons/skins of many pests, causing them to dehydrate and die.  It is especially effective against larvae and aphids.  Diatomaceous earth can be found in most garden stores, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, and Rona.

To prevent infestations, sterilize your soil:

Pour the soil into a roasting pan, or one of those disposable aluminum pans and spread to a couple inches deep.  Preheat your oven to 180F, and roast your dirt until it reaches an internal temperature of 180F for 30 minutes.  Try to avoid letting it get over 180, as it may burn creating some compounds that can be harmful to your plants.