Windowsill Salad Garden

 
Because lettuce and other salad greens germinate so quickly, it’s easy to grow a salad garden inside on a sunny windowsill. What I like to do is grow a mix of “baby greens,” which means I harvest the leaves before the plant matures. I mix these baby greens in with store bought lettuce for a flavorful salad or snip off a few leaves to top off sandwiches.

Micro greens are another way to enjoy fresh lettuce during the winter months. Micro greens are harvested when they have about 4 leaves. They may be small, but they are very flavorful.

Growing baby salad greens and micro greens couldn’t be easier. Simply sow the seeds in sterile potting soil, cover them with a dusting of soil and keep the seeds moist by lightly misting them with water daily. Keep the pots in a warm location until they begin to sprout and then move them to a sunny window. If the plants look spindly or anemic, they need more light. The baby salad greens may require as much as 12 hours of light for healthy growth. A grow light is an easy remedy for this problem. Hang the lights about 6 to 12 inches above the plants.

Micro greens are ready to harvest in about 14 days. Clip the seedlings off close to the soil. Baby salad greens will be ready in about 3 to 4 weeks. Trim them off at the base, starting with the outside leaves first.

Product Guide:
Jiffy Windowsill Greenhouse
Individual peat pots and a clear, plastic lid make starting seeds a snap. It’s a great system for growing baby and micro greens.

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Basil

Teri Morgan

Reply #1 on : Wed September 02, 2009, 06:08:56

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Hi Allen,
I know you have said basil is sometimes hard to grow inside. Last year I had no trouble with it, I kept it in a south facing window, watered it often, and misted daily. I had basil and even new basil all winter long.
My problem was cilantro, I could not keep it alive to save my life, any tips for growing this one indoors?
Thanks for all your guidance.
Teri Morgan