Seeds

Here is what I ordered for my container garden:

bok choy

sugar snap peas

roma tomatoes

red robin tomatoes

bush lima beans

chard

sweet banana peppers

yellow squash

broccoli raab

cucumbers

lettuce (three varieties in one seed pack)

kinko carrots

lettuce leaf basil

Italian parsley

dill

teddy bear sunflowers

pansies

I have never grown anything but houseplants and the odd marigold in a pot by the door.  I think I got a bit carried away, but we should have room for all these things with two good-sized balconies that get full sun in the morning and a porch that's covered, but has nice rails for boxes that get enough sun to grow flowers.

I am going to start the seeds in the master bathroom where there is a huge window--almost a whole wall.  It faces north, but is unobstructed and still gets lots of light.  Do you think I should put a grow bulb or two in there too?

And can anyone tell me why I can't just go ahead and grow the greens and herbs in that window year-round?  Leaves don't need full sun, right?  Just fruits and flowers, yes?

It's only the first week of January and I'm already sick to death of winter.

Comments

[Bill McDorman]

Length of day. Lettuce especially won't do well during the short days of winter. Trick your plants with a grow light that comes on for an hour or two the same time every morning. Once they get the message the days are longer, they will grow better. Also, the more direct sun, especially through a window, the better.

[Shereen]

Direct sun is a major factor for seedlings. They need at least 8 hours of strong, direct sunlight in their infancy, otherwise they get leggy (shoot up tall really fast, and then fall over, because they haven't had time to get strong)and unhealthy. Northern winter sunlight usually won't cut it, so a grow light is a good idea. Once the plants are established, ie. have lived through the summer, you should be able to get the herbs to over-winter. Again, as long as they're getting 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. Thing is, with many of the herbs that folks favour (thyme, rosemary, basil, etc.), they're generally from places with constant strong sunlight, like Greece and Italy, so you have to do your best to give them similar circumstances.