As the days get shorter, I’ve noticed something: I buy more plants to grow inside my home. It’s not just houseplants, but also potted herbs, microgreen seeds, and indoor bulbs. My kitchen windowsill went from having a single succulent just two months ago to hosting a collection of tropical plants, pea shoots, a hot pepper plant, and an avocado seed that has yet to sprout.
My plant binging is partly because the outdoor garden has gone quiet. I’m still harvesting from my cold frames and polytunnel, but the main growing season has passed. Also, I find that having fresh greenery indoors makes me happy. If you need some green therapy, here are five plants to grow on a winter windowsill.
Microgreens
Microgreens are a common feature in fancy restaurants, but these baby plants are quick and easy to grow at home. Most take two to three weeks to go from seed to harvest and you can plant in pots or trays.
You’ll find seeds for microgreens locally at places like Halifax Seed and there are many types to try. Some are spicy, while others have a mild flavour. My favourites include peas, arugula, lettuce, broccoli, sunflowers, and kale.
To grow, fill your container with one to two inches of potting mix and sow the seeds densely on the soil surface. Cover with a thin layer of potting mix and keep the soil evenly moist. Scissor harvest as soon as the tiny plants are large enough to eat. Sprinkle on salads, sandwiches, stir fries, pasta, scrambled eggs, or add to smoothies.
Cat grass
Cat grass is a mix of cereal grains that provide vitamins and can aid the digestion of pets.
To plant, sow the seeds densely in a pot filled with three inches of potting mix. Cover with a scant quarter inch of potting mix and place in a sunny window. Once the grass is seven to 10 cm tall, you can move it off your windowsill and to a location convenient for your cat. Start a fresh pot every two to three weeks.
Houseplants
Houseplants are by far the most popular plants for windowsills. Before you head to the plant shop however, look at your windows to see which direction they face. For bright south and east facing windows succulents, cacti and other heat-lovers grow best. For windows with less light, stick to low-light indoor plants like snake plants. Low care options (assuming they are being placed in ideal light) are zebra plant, heart-leaf philodendron, wax vine, and devil’s ivy pothos.
Herbs
No respectable kitchen windowsill would be complete without a few pots of culinary herbs. In winter when light is low I grow shade tolerant herbs like parsley, cilantro, and chives on my windowsill. I grow light-loving herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme nearby under one of my kitchen cabinets where I have an LED grow light installed. It’s been a game changer in terms of keeping the plants happy and healthy. I plug it in each morning and unplug it before bed. My basil has never looked better!
Garlic greens
Late autumn is garlic planting season in the garden but you can also grow garlic indoors. You won’t be able to mature garlic bulbs, but you can enjoy garlic greens, the tender shoots that have a delicious garlicky flavour.
To grow, plant individual cloves one-inch deep and two inches apart. Water and place in a sunny window. As the greens grow, clip and sprinkle on scrambled eggs, salads, pastas, and baked potatoes.
Niki Jabbour is the best-selling author of three gardening books, and a two-time winner of the prestigious American Horticultural Society Book Award. Her latest book, Growing Under Cover comes out in December 2020.
