Quick Tip 4 for green thumbs in winter-grow an edible indoors

Kumquat tree loaded with fruits

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Winter can be a downer time of year for those of us that love to garden, but it doesn't have to be!  There are many "gardener" things you can do during the cold months of the year.  I'm going to share an idea each week for the rest of the winter on gardening activities that help satisfy the itch and prepare us better for the upcoming spring season.  Here we go with Winter Quick Tip 4-grow an edible indoors. 

 

If you haven't tried indoor edible gardening, why not try it this winter.  Start with just one if the idea seems daunting.  Some that are easy to try are basil in water or sprouts or dwarf citrus.  I have had good luck with all of these.

At the end of the season, I took about 8 basil stems and put them in water.  About half rooted and are growing well in a vase on the windowsill.  I may not get enough to make pesto, but it is nice to be able to add a few fresh leaves to dishes.  You can also pick up live basil and rosemary plants at many grocery stores.  Just transplant them into a larger pot, sit them in a southern window away from drafts and they should do fine.  A big bonus is that they have a great head start outdoors come spring.

Every dwarf citrus tree I have gotten has always done well indoors.  I bring them indoors in late fall and keep them by a sunny window until spring.  By far the best producer of fruits has been my kumquat tree.  I can have a kumquat a day all winter long from my 3' tree.

Another edible that does great indoors for me is my bay tree.  It is over 8' tall in a medium size pot.  I have it in a north window in our heated basement for the winter.  It does great.  I just pop down there and harvest a leave when I need it.

If you have no windows that get sun, sprouts are a great option.  Super nutritious and easy to grow.  Indoor winter gardening-grow sprouts, microgreens or wheat grass!

These are just the ones I have tried and have had great luck with. These are all the ones I am growing indoors at the moment.  Edibles I am growing indoors