Lettuce growing at home. How to grow lettuce at home

In winter, there is such a shortage of fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden. What can you grow on your windowsill to enjoy natural products? The list of crops suitable for apartment conditions is quite wide - from parsley and lettuce to tomatoes and cucumbers.

You can grow greens on a windowsill in winter or summer in the same way as in the garden. But keep in mind that some plants are quite demanding. In this article we will look at easy-to-care crops.

If you are a beginner gardener, and therefore do not know what you can grow on the windowsill, then it is better to start with green parsley. And herbs - basil and rosemary - will not only come in handy in the kitchen, but will also spread their aroma throughout the apartment. More experienced amateurs can immediately start by growing cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.

Children will also enjoy the winter garden. Even a baby can grow on a windowsill. Caring for plants will not only captivate the child and give him a new useful experience, but also provide him with vitamins.

Preparation

After you have decided what to grow on the windowsill, you need to prepare pots, soil, and seeds. The set is the same for most cultures. Experienced summer residents who know how to grow seedlings on a windowsill already have almost everything they need.

To set up a vegetable garden on a windowsill, you will need deep boxes or wide flower pots for planting plants. They can be equipped with plastic covers to create a greenhouse effect. For these purposes, you can also use ordinary plastic bags.

The pots need to be filled with soil from a flower shop or a self-prepared substrate. It is better to avoid using soil from the garden or vegetable garden, as insect larvae and weed seeds may remain in it. If the soil from the street is not prepared and calcined, then there is a high probability that you can grow one weed on the windowsill.

You also need to prepare a container for settling water - tender young plants should not be watered directly from the tap. You will also need a spray bottle or a small watering can.

Foil placed behind plants to reflect sunlight will also be useful. If foil is not used, then boxes and pots with plants must be turned 180 degrees daily, otherwise they will tilt towards the window and grow crookedly.

If the plants are grown in spring and summer (planting in February-March), then they will have enough sunlight from the street. But a winter garden planted in the fall will require additional lighting. Fluorescent lamps are suitable for this.

You should understand that you can only grow undemanding herbs on a windowsill in winter without lighting, but you won’t be able to get a good harvest of tomatoes without using phytolamps. In winter, on sunny days, additional lighting will be needed in the evening, but in cloudy weather, the lamp will have to be turned on for the whole day.

Green onions

Children are shown how to grow onions on a windowsill in kindergarten. This is the easiest crop to grow at home, it does not require special care, grows quickly and is very useful.

To force feathers, you can use both large onion sets (selections) and ordinary onion turnips. Feathers from a small bulb are more delicate, but the small head wears out quickly. A larger bulb produces abundant greens for a longer period of time.

Not only self-grown onions are suitable, you can also use those purchased at a supermarket or a store for summer residents. The easiest way to plant onions for forcing is in water. To do this, you need to take a small glass and fill it with plain water or a nutrient solution. The bulb must be installed so that only its tip touches the surface of the liquid. You need to change the water every day.

When planted in water, the bulb may begin to rot and emit an unpleasant odor. This can be avoided, since you can grow onions on a windowsill by planting them in the ground. The substrate should be poured into a shallow plastic box. If there are no drainage holes at the bottom of the container, then to prevent rotting of the roots, it is reasonable to pour a small drainage layer of expanded clay, pebbles, broken bricks, etc.

There is no need to bury the heads; plant them tightly; the bulbs are not afraid of close proximity. Plantings must be watered frequently, preventing the soil from drying out. Do not use all the seed material at once, it is better to break it into several portions and plant it 2-3 weeks apart, then there will be enough fresh onions for the whole winter.

Green onions can be grown not only in boxes. Onions for forcing can be planted vertically. To do this, you can purchase a special flowerpot at a store for summer residents or make holes yourself in a plastic bottle filled with soil.

Watercress

What can a beginner grow on a windowsill? Another simplest crop to grow on a windowsill is watercress. It is known for its beneficial properties, and its unpretentiousness makes it one of the most common salads to grow at home. Watercress is ready for consumption within 2-3 weeks after planting. Seeds can be purchased at a gardening store.

To grow lettuce, you don’t need a deep container; a regular tray will do. As a substrate, you can use a thin (about 3 cm) layer of clay or peat soil, fabric folded several times, cotton wool or paper towels.

Watercress should be planted densely so that the young plants support each other. Press the seeds slightly into the moist substrate. The plant does not require additional lighting; just place it on the windowsill.

How to grow lettuce on a windowsill? The main thing is not to let the soil dry out, although you shouldn’t overwater the salad either. The plant does not like heat. The optimal temperature is no higher than 18 degrees Celsius. To avoid overheating in winter, just move the container with the salad closer to the window.

In order for green watercress to be constantly present on the table, you need to plant it according to a scheme that is convenient for you. You can sow a new container every week or two or add a small amount of seeds every 3-4 days.

Leaf salad

Growing leaf lettuce is already somewhat more difficult. To know how to grow lettuce on a windowsill, you need to take into account the variety of the plant being grown. The varieties Lollo Rossa, Lollo Bionda, Odessky, Vitaminny, New Year, and Red Credo perform best in apartment conditions.

In autumn and winter, leaf lettuce will need additional lighting. If the room is hot and dry, the plant does not receive enough moisture, then the leaves will become bitter, become coarse, and flower stalks will quickly form. Leaf lettuce loves moisture and coolness and feels good on a glassed-in balcony until late autumn.

Leaf lettuce is planted in the ground quite densely, at a distance of 1-2 cm. Before the first shoots, the container is covered to create a greenhouse effect. Over time, thinning to a distance of 4-5 cm will be necessary. The plant needs watering and good lighting.

After the bushes begin to produce arrows, they become unfit for consumption. They can be removed and new seeds planted in their place.

Parsley

Many housewives wonder about the windowsill. After all, you often only need a few leaves of this plant, and you don’t want to buy a whole package in the store. In spring and summer, parsley can be grown from seeds. The plant is light-loving, so in winter it will need additional lighting. The seeds germinate rather slowly, but the bush will last a long time. Parsley is not picky about temperature; it grows well on a windowsill or balcony. Watering is done abundantly. In winter, parsley needs to be watered less often.

It will be possible to cut the first greenery only after a month and a half, but it will be possible to do this for a whole year. It is better to soak it in a solution of potassium permanganate before. You can plant parsley in small containers, in peat cups or directly in flowerpots.

In autumn and winter, because growing from seeds at this time is too long and labor-intensive? There is another way - forcing it from the rhizome. This method is somewhat simpler and better suited for the autumn-winter period. Planting material can be prepared independently in a personal plot or purchased at a regular grocery store.

The rhizome should show no signs of wilting, and the apical bud should be intact. The root crop should be placed in a pot and sprinkled with damp soil. Roots that are too long can be planted at an angle.

The first green shoots will appear within a few days after planting, and the leaves can be cut off in a couple of weeks. Greens will appear on the rhizome within six months.

Basil

What can you grow on a windowsill besides regular onions, parsley, and lettuce? Something more exotic like basil or rosemary.

The type of basil does not matter; green or purple will do. Basil can be propagated either from seeds or from cuttings. The plant is thermophilic - the optimal temperature is 20-25 degrees, and moisture-loving - good drainage and abundant watering are required.

Cuttings are a quick way to grow basil. You can simply buy a few branches in the store, put them in water and after one or two weeks move the seedling with roots into a pot. The young shoots will be ready for cutting in a couple of weeks. It is better to cut off the side shoots.

Basil planted from cuttings grows quickly, but also blooms quickly. As you know, after the start of flowering the plant is unsuitable for food. To have fresh basil on your table all the time, you need to replant the plantings every 3-4 months.

Planting basil from seeds will require more effort. But such a bush will not bloom for about a year. The seeds need to be soaked, covered, and the sprouts transplanted into pots. It is better to grow basil using seeds in the spring, since additional lighting will be needed in winter.

Rosemary

Rosemary on the windowsill will not only decorate the kitchen, but will also come in handy when cooking. This plant can be grown in the summer in the country, and in winter it will feel great at home.

You will need a wide pot with a thick drainage layer. Rosemary is demanding of light and air. It prefers the south side, and in summer the pot with the plant must be planted in open ground, taken out to the balcony or placed outside the window, otherwise the leaves will not accumulate a sufficient amount of essential oils.

Both seeds and cuttings are suitable for planting rosemary. The seeds of the plant have poor germination. They need to be soaked for 2 days, then placed on the ground without sprinkling on top, covered with film and sprayed every day with a spray bottle. If seedlings do not appear after 4 weeks, new seeds are planted. When the seedlings produce three or more leaves, they are planted in spacious pots.

It is easier to grow rosemary using cuttings. For this you need a woody shoot of the plant. It is placed in a container with water or wet sand, and after rooting it is transplanted into a pot.

Rosemary loves frequent but moderate watering. It is better to dry out the soil than to flood it. If there is a lack of moisture, the lower leaves of the plant will begin to turn yellow, and if there is an excess, the roots will rot, which will lead to the death of the plant.

If you provide the plant with a low temperature (up to 5 degrees) in winter, then rosemary will bloom in the spring. An adult plant needs to be constantly trimmed to form a bush.

cucumbers

Growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter is a rather tempting prospect. This can be done not only by an experienced gardener, but also by a beginner. Cucumbers grow quite quickly; you can get the first harvest in just a month and a half.

Not every variety of cucumber is suitable for growing on a windowsill. Firstly, it must be self-pollinating. During flowering, the bush must be shaken daily for pollination to occur. Secondly, it will be much more convenient if the plant is a bush plant. Thirdly, an early variety is better suited for home growing. Finally, a shade-loving plant is ideal. You can grow cucumbers on the windowsill in the winter of the varieties Connie, Masha, Legend, Debut, Polet, Babylon. Knowing the necessary parameters, you can choose another variety.

Growing cucumbers at home has its own subtleties. After all, providing all the necessary conditions can be difficult. Cucumbers are light-loving, so windows on the south and east sides are suitable for growing them. If there is still not enough light, then additional illumination will be required using fluorescent lamps.

The room temperature should not be below 20 degrees, so you should not move flowerpots too close to a cold window. Cucumbers love moisture very much, so you need to make sure that the soil does not dry out. The flowerpot with the plant can be placed in a bowl of water. The leaves need to be sprayed with a spray bottle twice a day.

Tomatoes

Many people think that growing tomatoes on a windowsill is a very difficult task and inaccessible to a beginner. But this is not true at all! Moreover, there are special varieties for indoor cultivation.

When visiting a gardening store, note that some seed packages say “Recommended for pot growing”, “Window harvest”, “Home garden”. And the names of the varieties themselves are telling - Room Surprise, Balcony Miracle, Japanese Room. There are also hanging varieties that will look great in flower pots - Peruvian Homemade, Cherry, Talisman.

Even if you don’t find special indoor varieties, regular ones will do. Please note that these tomatoes must be determinate (short, or better yet dwarf), self-pollinating (for pollination, the bushes are shaken during flowering) and small-fruited. For example, Alaska, micro, Pearl (red and yellow), Canada News, Minibel, Pinocchio, etc.

Tomatoes can be planted immediately in large pots or picked, choosing the strongest sprouts. During the period of flowering and fruit set, tomatoes need to be watered generously and the leaves should be sprayed.

The room where tomatoes grow needs to be regularly ventilated - plants do not like stagnant air. In winter they need additional lighting. The plant must be fed periodically. The first fruits can be obtained in 3-4 months.

Tomato is a perennial plant. At home, with good care, it will bear fruit for several years. After a period of active fruiting, the bush needs to be transplanted into a larger pot and updated by pruning the branches. In addition, tomato can be propagated by cuttings. A plant grown from a cutting will begin to bloom within a few weeks.

Sweet pepper

How to grow peppers on a windowsill? Doing this is no more difficult than growing tomatoes. True, you will have to wait longer for the harvest - 5-6 months. But pepper is a perennial plant; with good care, annual replanting and pruning, it will bear fruit for several years. The plant can be propagated not only by seeds, but also by cuttings. Caring for peppers is also similar to caring for tomatoes, but with one significant difference - while the tomato does not tolerate stagnant air, the pepper is afraid of drafts, so it is better not to place them on the same window.

Self-pollinating early-ripening varieties are best suited for growing in an apartment - California Miracle, Oda, Jupiter, Patio-Ivo.

Pepper needs good light, warmth, and loose soil (it is necessary to loosen the soil regularly). This plant is not capricious, and will delight you with its fruits for a long time. You can also grow hot peppers at home, but these plants should not be in the same room, otherwise cross-pollination will occur.

Lettuce is a cold-hardy plant that can be grown all season long. In order to harvest lettuce in winter, it can be planted on the windowsill. To grow leaf lettuce in winter, it needs to be provided with additional water, as well as the right container for sowing and soil composition.

Soil composition

Lettuce grows well in light, fertile soil with a slightly acidic or neutral acid-base balance. The homeland of lettuce is the Mediterranean. This region is dominated by sandy loamy peat soils and a hot climate, so two parts of peat, one part of calcined river sand and a little garden perlite are used to prepare the soil mixture. Additionally, complex mineral fertilizer and wood ash can be added to the soil. To normalize the acid-base balance of the soil, you need to add slaked lime or dolomite flour to the soil.

Salad container

The prepared soil mixture is poured into a previously prepared container. The height of the container must be at least 10 cm.

Use a juice box as a container for planting lettuce. Its interior is covered with foil, which provides additional reflected light illumination for the salad. Make drainage holes in the side of the box and at the bottom to ensure water drainage.

A drainage layer must be placed at the bottom. Pebbles, small stones or broken bricks can be used as drainage. Then the container is filled with soil mixture.

Before planting lettuce, the soil must be watered with a solution of Fitosporin. If you warm the soil before planting, the lettuce seeds will sprout faster, so the solution must be hot. The soil must be left for 12 hours. When Bacillus subtilis and other possible bacteria are killed, lettuce seeds can be planted.

Sowing lettuce

The seeds are mixed with river sand for easy sowing. They should not be deeply buried in the soil, otherwise the germination of the lettuce will decrease. The maximum sowing depth of seeds is 1 cm. After planting the seeds, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle. Then the container with the seeds is covered with a plastic bag until the first shoots appear. After they appear, the bag must be removed, since the greenhouse effect has a bad effect on the above-ground part of the plants.

In the era of proper nutrition and health care, more and more people are trying to grow their own vegetables in order to avoid chemical impurities in the finished product and not expose their body to danger. In this article you will read about lettuce - a true friend of any self-care person.

Benefit or harm

Lettuce grown in a pot will bring exceptional benefits to the body. Which one?

Due to its low calorie content (12 kcal per 100 g), salad grown in a pot will not increase weight; it can be safely eaten in large quantities. Many nutritionists recommend consuming juicy leaves in combination with other products. After all, salad in its pure form does not make you feel full.

The rich vitamin and mineral composition of the salad cannot be ignored. It contains vitamins B and C, as well as potassium, calcium, sulfur, iodine, and phosphorus.

Also useful properties of the product include:

improved digestion;
normalization of intestinal function;
cleansing the body of toxins;
lowering cholesterol levels;
improving the condition of hair and nails;
improvement of skin, memory, vision;
prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

How to plant lettuce correctly

To plant leaf lettuce in a pot, choose plastic containers. Be sure to place a drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay at the bottom. It will help the water not to stagnate and protect the roots from rotting.

Use a special store-bought mixture. It is pest-free and enriched with nutrients necessary for lettuce to grow.

Garden soil can be infested with pests.

Sowing rules

Lettuce in a pot is planted in compliance with certain rules:

The distance between rows is at least 10 cm.
Sowing depth is no more than 0.5 centimeters.
The soil must be thoroughly moistened before sowing.
There should be a distance of 2-3 cm between the seeds.
The pot is placed in a dark place and covered with glass or film to create a greenhouse effect.
When shoots appear, the pot is exposed to light.

Care

Growing lettuce in a pot is easy. It does not require special care. However, it is important to keep a few things in mind to ensure a bountiful and healthy harvest.

Salad on foam rubber

If you don’t want to tinker with the soil, there is an option to grow watercress. This species can be grown on foam rubber.

You will need deep trays, no lower than 5 cm. A 3 cm sheet of foam rubber is laid on the bottom, and paper towels are placed on top. Be sure to soak all contents with water. Seeds are poured into paper. The salad in a pot is ready and will grow no worse than in an earthen substrate.

After harvesting, the paper is removed, the foam is washed, and you can use it again and again.

The main condition: to grow lettuce in a pot in this way, the entire contents of the tray must be constantly moistened.

Top dressing

The lifespan of lettuce is short enough to not require the application of mineral fertilizers. Organic methods of feeding in an apartment are not the best solution due to the characteristic smell. The maximum you can add is humate when watering. It does not have an unpleasant odor and does not contain chemicals.

Harvest

It would seem that it would be easier than picking a ready-made salad? But if collected correctly, the bush will last a long time.

The salad is ready to eat a month after planting. Reaches 10 cm at home.

The lettuce is constantly growing, and to get as many leaves as possible, follow these simple rules:

Collect leaves early in the morning, when the plant is saturated with moisture. This way the bush will grow healthy, and the collected leaves will remain strong and fresh longer.
Don't cut off the middle. Harvest only the outer leaves of the lettuce in the pot. This way the lettuce will continue to grow and produce new leaves for several months.
Collect once every 2 weeks to give the plant time to recover.

Lettuce leaves are stored well in the refrigerator for 5-8 days, retaining their beneficial properties. Frozen food loses its taste when defrosted. This storage method is not recommended.

By sowing seeds every 1-2 weeks, you can provide the whole family with greens. Easy to care for and very healthy, salad in a pot deserves its place on the windowsill in your apartment.

And if you consider that, in addition to its undoubted nutritional benefits, lettuce is also beautiful, there is no doubt about the “to plant or not to plant” plan.

Growing an organically pure product, as can be seen from the article, is not at all fraught with difficulties. And it can grow all year round. Salad in a pot is an excellent solution for people who do not have a homestead, but want to eat healthy food.

Lettuce is very easy to have on your table at any time of the year. It's so easy to grow that you can skip traditional planting altogether and sow your seeds in hanging containers, plastic bags, windowsill pots or balcony boxes. This year I just recently planted it and plan to grow it on the windowsill all summer. In winter I will place the pots on a table under a lamp. It is necessary to provide them with enough light, which is not difficult in the summer, but in winter you need to try.

Growing lettuce at home in pots

To begin, select a medium-sized container. The plant does not have a particularly deep root system, so a medium container, for example, 60 by 60 cm or 40 by 80, about 10-15 cm deep, is suitable. Plastic pots are preferable to clay pots, since clay absorbs water and the soil in them dries out faster than in plastic.

When using clay pots, you can line the inside with a plastic bag, fill it with soil and plant the seeds. Don't forget to make holes in the bag to allow water to drain out.

Clean the container if it has been used before. Bacteria and insect eggs can subsequently destroy your plants. Standard soap and warm water should kill most potential threats, but you can also wash the container with a solution of nine parts water and one part bleach for a more thorough cleaning, or a baking soda solution followed by a potassium permanganate rinse.

Buy a standard soil mix for your plants. You can, of course, use a mixture of garden soil with humus, turf and sand, but if you want to grow lettuce without fuss, you don’t need to fantasize about ways to disinfect such soil. Avoid directly using soil from your garden as it always contains bacteria and insects that can damage your crops.
Fill the pot high with soil, but not all the way to the top. You should leave approximately 2.5-3cm of empty space between the surface of the soil and the edge of the container.

Sprinkle the seeds on top - a pinch, as if you were adding salt. Try not to plant too much in one place, but you don't have to worry too much about how far apart the seeds are. Subsequently, the seedlings will still have to be thinned out. You can, if the size of the container allows, poke half a centimeter holes with your finger and throw the seeds into them, or make even grooves - do as you like.

Sprinkle soil on top, covering the seeds with a layer of 0.5-0.7 cm. If you use more soil, the seeds will not be able to receive the light they need to germinate.
Use a spray bottle to spray your planting with water. The soil should be thoroughly moistened, but not soggy. Irrigate this every morning. The soil must remain constantly moist for the seeds to germinate, this happens within one to two weeks. Lettuce may need more or less frequent watering, depending on how warm and sunny your home is. Check the soil with your fingertip, deepening it 1-1.5 cm. If you feel dry, water more.

Tip: A good solution is a bottom watering tray. Place a tray or saucer of water at the bottom of the container and allow the water to seep into the soil through the drainage holes. By watering from the bottom up, you will have more success preventing root rot and fungal diseases. In the future, simply spray the leaves with water from a spray bottle a couple of times a day to maintain air humidity.

Keep your greens cool, ideally between +16 and +21 degrees. A temperature drop of 6-8 degrees at night is encouraged to imitate natural conditions.

Once sprouts emerge, place the seedlings in a sunny window; they need 14 to 16 hours of bright light to produce strong, bushy leaves. If you cannot provide the plant with enough natural light, place the container under an artificial one and keep the seedlings there for 14 hours. Turn off the lights as soon as this amount of time has passed, as the lettuce plants will begin to become coarse, bitter and bolted under 24-hour light.

Thin out the seedlings after they have produced their second row of leaves. Pull out the weakest ones, leaving 7-8cm of space between plants to give them enough room to grow.

Tip: instead of throwing away “extra” seedlings, transplant them into separate pots or eat them as food - the seedlings are edible and taste very similar to mature leaves.

Fertilizers are not needed; due to the short life span of the plant, the elements contained in the soil are sufficient.

After 2 - 3 weeks you can harvest by tearing off the fresh outer leaves. Leave the internal ones alone so they can develop further. Unripe leaves are just as tasty and healthy as mature ones, and differ only in size.

Growing lettuce at home in bags

This growing option is suitable for those who do not have the opportunity or simply do not want to use pots.

Take a small, tight bag. Make holes at the bottom. The holes should be small enough to prevent soil from falling out, but small enough to allow excess water to drain out.

Fill the bag about 3/4 full with soil. It must be pre-moistened to help the structure maintain its barrel-shaped shape.

Place the bag in a tray or on a plate. Excess soil and water can escape through the holes and create a mess if you let the bag sit on the windowsill without a tray.

Plant the seeds in exactly the same way as described in the previous growing method - lightly “salt” the ground with them, sprinkle them on a centimeter and thoroughly spray the top with warm water from a spray bottle. You only want a light, fine spray, otherwise you'll drown the seeds and have cloudy water gushing out of the bag.

Cover the top with cling film, but not completely, but about two-thirds. Let the structure “sit” on a sunny countertop or windowsill. Alternatively, you can use a lamp to provide additional lighting. The seeds will need 12 to 14 hours of light per day.

Remove the film after the seeds germinate - this will happen in the interval from 3-4 days to a week. Continue misting the soil to keep it moist and provide the seedlings with the same amount of light as before.

Collect the leaves individually as soon as you think they are large enough. Trim the outer leaves, gradually moving inward each day. Do not wait until lettuce is fully ripe when growing it in a plastic bag, as this method is a shortcut and is not intended to produce a fully mature plant.

Now you know how to grow lettuce at home. It's very simple, believe me! And share your experience of planting greenery at home. See you soon! Bye!

Lettuce is a cold-hardy plant that can be grown all season long. In order to harvest lettuce in winter, it can be planted on the windowsill. To grow leaf lettuce in winter, it needs to be provided with additional lighting, as well as the correct sowing container and soil composition.

Lettuce varieties for growing on a windowsill

The most undemanding variety in terms of growing conditions is the Batavia lettuce variety. It is classified as disruptive and is what you most often see in grocery stores. Its advantages for planting at home are as follows: - less demanding of light, - tolerates short-term drought and elevated temperatures, - can be grown hydroponically. A good harvest of Sora Batalia lettuce can be obtained on the windowsill even without dosa branches, although the leaves will not be the same size as if they were grown in the garden.

Among the many varieties of lettuce, watercress is also suitable for growing at home. It loves moisture, but when watering you should make sure that the roots do not begin to rot from its excess. The most suitable varieties of watercress for growing on a windowsill: Pepper, Ordinary, Broad-leaved, Curly.

Early ripening varieties are also recommended for growing on a windowsill: Red Credo, Grand Rapids, Lollo Rossa, Lollo Biond and Odessky.

Soil requirements for growing lettuce at home

In winter and off-season, the salad will need to be illuminated with phytolamps for 2-5 hours. The best substrate for salad is a mixture of coconut fiber and vermicompost in a ratio of 2 to 1. Before planting, the seeds must be pickled in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours. The land for planting must be drained. Use expanded clay, broken brick or pebbles for these purposes.

Soil is poured over the drainage and watering is carried out (the soil should be moist at the time of planting). For growing leaf lettuce, it is best to use 1-2 liter pots. Seeds are planted to a depth of 5–10 mm and the container with the plantings is covered with cellophane to create greenhouse conditions. Within 4-5 days the first shoots will appear on the surface. For further development of leaf celery, the average daily temperature should be kept between +17 and +21 C.

Choosing a container for growing lettuce at home

When using clay pots, you can line the inside with a plastic bag, fill it with soil and plant the seeds. Don't forget to make holes in the bag to allow water to drain out.

Make sure any pot you use has drainage holes, these will allow excess water to drain into the tray if you water the plant from above. The holes also allow for tray watering, which is especially useful for lettuce. Clean the container if it has been used before. Bacteria and insect eggs can subsequently destroy your plants. Standard soap and warm water should kill most potential threats, but you can also wash the container with a solution of nine parts water and one part bleach for a more thorough cleaning, or a baking soda solution followed by a potassium permanganate rinse.

Growing lettuce on a windowsill at home

Sprinkle soil on top, covering the seeds with a layer of 0.5-0.7 cm. If you use more soil, the seeds will not be able to receive the light they need to germinate.

Use a spray bottle to spray your planting with water. The soil should be thoroughly moistened, but not soggy. Irrigate this every morning. The soil must remain constantly moist for the seeds to germinate, this happens within one to two weeks. Lettuce may need more or less frequent watering, depending on how warm and sunny your home is. Check the soil with your fingertip, deepening it 1-1.5 cm. If you feel dry, water more.

Keep your greens cool, ideally between +16 and +21 degrees. A temperature drop of 6-8 degrees at night is encouraged to imitate natural conditions.

Caring for lettuce at home

Watering the lettuce

Lettuce at home needs regular watering once every two or three days; it is especially important to water the lettuce in hot weather, since drying out the substrate accelerates the formation of flower shoots and, accordingly, the appearance of a bitter taste in the leaves. In general, the optimal temperature for growing seedlings is 16-20 ºC, although on the loggia they feel great at a temperature of 6-7 ºC. More dangerous than coolness is elevated temperature and dry air for salad, so fresh young greens must be sprayed daily with a spray bottle. You need to water and spray the salad in the pot with settled water at room temperature.

Feeding lettuce

Intensive growth of lettuce is possible only with adequate nutrition, so it is advisable to add liquid complex fertilizer to the substrate every week. But since lettuce has the ability to accumulate nitrates, the amount of nitrogen introduced needs to be controlled, and even better, feed homemade lettuce with organic matter, for example, an aqueous solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:10.

Growing watercress at home on a windowsill

There is no need to create any special conditions for growing watercress; you just need to provide it with good lighting and regular watering.

Naturally, growing watercress on a windowsill is attractive, first of all, because of the small amount of time and effort required. Any container with a height of approximately 8-10 cm is suitable as a container for growing, into which you need to fill any soil mixture purchased at a specialized store, which is already rich in a large number of microelements and substances necessary for growing. We strongly do not recommend using soil from the garden - the soil may contain pest eggs - which can subsequently destroy your watercress crops in a matter of hours. Seeds must be sown to a depth of an average of 50 mm. After the first shoots appear, your main task will be to maintain the temperature within a low positive range - about 6-8 C. First of all, this contributes to the development of the plant’s root system and its strengthening. But, when unfolding the first leaves, the temperature must be increased to 15 C (no more, since this is the recommended maximum for growing this plant). Increasing the temperature to higher levels is highly not recommended, since the plants very quickly become stretched, depleted, and subsequently simply wither and disappear. The ideal option for placing a container with a plant would be to place it between window frames, where in winter the temperature corresponds to the recommended standards. If you follow these simple tips, the average yield of watercress will increase by 700 g/sq. meter.

Growing spinach at home on a windowsill

It is best to choose early ripening varieties for growing on a windowsill. Here are some popular varieties: Virofle, Godry, Ispolinsky, Stoic.

For rapid germination, the seeds need to be soaked in warm water for a day, then they can be kept for several hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then blotted and slightly dried.

First, the seeds are sown in one seedling box, after which they need to be picked. Shallow grooves are made in the box - 1 to 1.5 cm deep, lightly sprinkled with a layer of earth and watered with a spray bottle. After sowing, you should build a greenhouse over the pot, or simply cover it with a plastic bag. After germination, the cellophane should be removed.

Usually shoots appear after 5-7 days. The plants remain in the planting boxes until 2-3 true leaves appear, and then they can be planted in separate pots.

Features of growing arugula on the windowsill

Despite its value and original taste, this salad is not capricious. You can also grow a “beauty salad” at home on a windowsill, provided there is good lighting, since arugula is a light-loving plant. Salad soil can be purchased at the store, special for vegetables. The most convenient and economical way to grow arugula is from seedlings.

Shoots appear in 4-5 days. After this, small plants are planted separately from each other in boxes, or it is very convenient to grow arugula in flower pots. Planting 1-2 plants in one container. To keep the lettuce leaves tender and tasty, do not give the plant a chance to bloom; the flowers must be picked off. Growing arugula in the window will allow you to enjoy healthy salad all year round.