What are the best vegetables to grow indoors by a window?

[JasonRox]

Hey!

I have a question. What are good vegetable to grow indoors, like by a window? In my apartment, I will have like 4 windows where plants can grow.

I'm currently looking on Google for some herbs.

http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-71-378,00.html

I'm interested in other low or medium light plants I can grow, vegetables or fruit. Also, that will produce a decent amount of food.

Any ideas?

 

[Evo]

If you can add a grow lamp, I can give you some great varieties to grow.

Which direction do your windows face?

 

[turbo]

If you like cooking, fresh basil is a MUST. It adds a rich sweet flavor to tomato-based sauces, and if you are constrained (time, for instance) to using jarred sauces, fresh basil is a great way to perk them up. My father uses Prego sauces and we'll give him fresh basil and garlic to dress that up with. He hates cooking, but he's not above "fixing" commercial stuff up if he can do it fast. If you can grow a flat of lettuce and mesclun green mix, that will keep you in fresh salad greens for quite a bit. I suggest Black-Seeded Simpson leaf lettuce. It grows fast, and you can keep cutting it back whenever you want greens.

If you have room, I suggest that you get a fairly large pot and put a couple of cherry-tomato plants in it. Plant them deep so they'll develop extra roots. It's handy to grab a couple of little tomatoes at a time for stir-fries etc, and they are a great addition to your salad greens or just for snacking.

 

[Moonbear]

I have best luck with growing herbs indoors, and not as much luck with vegetables. I got some cherry tomatoes to grow, but never enough to make it worth the effort (one cherry tomato at a time is not very satisfying).

 

[JasonRox]

If you can add a grow lamp, I can give you some great varieties to grow.

Which direction do your windows face?

All my windows face north, except two (I have 6 total) and they face south but all the sunlight is blocked. Bad for planting, but great not having sun coming in directly.

So I guess a grow light is my only option. I'm currently looking at those.

My apartment is no bigger than 400 square feet so I don't want to waste too much space.

 

[NeoDevin]

I grow habaneros in my west window. I grow beans and peas on my balcony in the summer.

 

[JasonRox]

If you like cooking, fresh basil is a MUST. It adds a rich sweet flavor to tomato-based sauces, and if you are constrained (time, for instance) to using jarred sauces, fresh basil is a great way to perk them up. My father uses Prego sauces and we'll give him fresh basil and garlic to dress that up with. He hates cooking, but he's not above "fixing" commercial stuff up if he can do it fast. If you can grow a flat of lettuce and mesclun green mix, that will keep you in fresh salad greens for quite a bit. I suggest Black-Seeded Simpson leaf lettuce. It grows fast, and you can keep cutting it back whenever you want greens.

If you have room, I suggest that you get a fairly large pot and put a couple of cherry-tomato plants in it. Plant them deep so they'll develop extra roots. It's handy to grab a couple of little tomatoes at a time for stir-fries etc, and they are a great addition to your salad greens or just for snacking.

If I can grow some decent basil, lettuce, and tomatoes, I would consider myself lucky.

 

[Dadface]

Sprouting seeds such as mustard and cress.Cheap,tasty, nutritious,fast growing and require a minimum of care.

 

[JasonRox]

Sprouting seeds such as mustard and cress.Cheap,tasty, nutritious,fast growing and require a minimum of care.

Not sure if I'll try mustard, but cress definitely seems interesting and amazingle easy.

 

[JasonRox]

Ok, I'm also thinking about radishes.

Do I have to keep re-planting the seeds? For cress and radish?

I have cherry tomatoes on my mind too, but haven't done research for that yet.

 

[turbo]

Radishes are easy and are tolerant of less-than-optimal growing conditions. Just eat them when they are young and tender. You may want to try sliced radishes sauteed in butter. They are really good.

 

[JasonRox]

Radishes are easy and are tolerant of less-than-optimal growing conditions. Just eat them when they are young and tender. You may want to try sliced radishes sauteed in butter. They are really good.

I love radishes. I just eat them whole.

I didn't find any cress seeds at the store. Well, I went to Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire, so not the best places for variety. If you're curious, Canadian Tire was cheaper.

I bought some cheap and expensive grow lights so I can experiment with the two.

 

[mgb_phys]

What are good vegetable to grow indoors,

If you are in BC there is an obvious one !

like by a window?

Probably not by a window

I'm currently looking on Google for some herbs.

Tell that to the nice RCMP officer

 

[LowlyPion]

If you have to use grow lights, the veggies must be cheaper at the store even if backpacked out of Tierra del Fuego.

A quick Google turned up this discussion with some pictures of practical use:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lights/msg0416190210088.html?7

 

[JasonRox]

If you have to use grow lights, the veggies must be cheaper at the store even if backpacked out of Tierra del Fuego.

A quick Google turned up this discussion with some pictures of practical use:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lights/msg0416190210088.html?7

Very nice post!

I keep doing more research and thinking on what would be the best setup. I need a book to read or something.

 

[dyosa]

herbs could be grown i guess by the windows and it would give your room an aromatic effect. but i am not so sure with vegetables.