Kitchen Quick Tip: Windowsill Gardening

Windowsill Garden. Image Credit: Apartment Therapy.

As you may have noticed from prior blog posts, my diet is primarily plant-based. You probably also noticed that I’m a big believer in growing my own food or else buying vegetables in season and from a local farmer. However, living in a high altitude, arid state where cold weather effectively ends growing season early, Cameron and I have struggled to come to terms with buying non-local produce at our neighborhood grocer. (The amount of energy usually expended to truck in produce from other parts of the U.S. and the world, also known as “food miles,” is enough to make me want to gnaw on tree bark.)

Image Credit: Farmscape Ecology Program.

Last year Cameron and I rented a small garden plot from our neighborhood community garden, but with his extremely busy teaching schedule and my own busy schedule, for the first time, fulfilling our community duties for the garden turned out to be more chore than fun. We didn’t renew our membership with the garden this year, and while we’ll be buying a share in a local CSA for the growing season, I’ve also been entertaining the idea of bringing the garden indoors.

Great Book on Kitchen Scrap Gardening. Image Credit: Storey.

I doubt we’ll be producing much corn or clementines in our tiny living room, but getting a taste of fresh food on a daily basis for city dwellers is not quite as daunting as it seems.

First and foremost, you’ll need windows that face east or south so that your plants will have more time in the sun. It’s easiest to grow herbs indoors, but other veggies can survive and thrive inside with proper care. Better Homes and Gardens has a good article on windowsill gardening for newbies.

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