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Sometimes you want to go out onto the balcony, like Jamie Oliver, pick up your own grown vegetables and herbs and make something stunning out of them. And the balcony, by the way, looks much nicer if it contains not old pieces of iron that should be sent to a landfill, but aromatic herbs and vegetables.

website I chose several interesting plants that take root well on a windowsill or balcony.

Pepper

You can grow hot pizza peppers Diablo on your windowsill. It will require a warm, bright place and varieties suitable for home grown: “Carmen”, “Flint”, “Ogonyok”, “Rowanushka”, “Bride”, “Indian Summer”, etc.

The bushes are very cute and do not require large pots. One plant can bear up to 50 fruits. Optimal temperature- 25-27 degrees Celsius.

Carrot

To grow carrots at home, it is better to take mini-varieties such as Parmex, Sofi, and Vnuchka. They grow in 80-90 days and do not require much space - they are quite happy with a pot or container. You can also take the funny round variety “Round Baby”.

The soil for carrots should be light and well-drained. The vegetable can be grown in cut plastic bottles. The optimal temperature is within 13-24 degrees Celsius.

Mint

Mint is a non-capricious and undemanding plant. It can grow on your windowsill or balcony even in winter, if you provide additional lighting. It can be grown from cuttings and seeds. If you have the opportunity to dig up cuttings at your own or friends’ dacha, it is better to use this method. Mint grown from seeds is not as widely accepted, and you will have to wait longer for the harvest.

It is important to remember that the plant loves well-moistened soil. And, when you choose a place for it, keep in mind that the lighting should be good, but it is better to avoid direct sunlight. The optimal temperature for mint is 20-25 degrees plus.

Green onions

To grow green onions at home, no special dexterity required. But it’s still worth taking into account some nuances: the bulb that you will plant should be round, dense to the touch and without signs of rot, the root cup should be well formed.

Immediately after planting, you should put the onions in a cool place. dark place to better form root system, and only then will the pen need a lot of light. The optimal temperature is 18-20 degrees; you should not overheat, because then the growth of greenery will stop.

Basil

Any variety of basil grows well in flower pots and boxes. It is better to give it a sunny place, water it well, keep it warm and provide good drainage. For planting, you can use both cuttings and seeds. In this case, the cuttings will quickly produce the first harvest, but will not last long, as they will bloom quickly. You will have to wait longer for the harvest from the seeds, but such a bush will also last longer.

The optimal temperature for basil is 20-25 degrees Celsius. In winter, backlighting is required for approximately 3-4 hours to increase daylight hours.

cucumbers

To grow cucumbers on a windowsill or balcony, you should take a closer look at hybrid varieties, which are marked with the F1 icon. If all conditions are created for the plant, it can produce 3-4 dozen fruits. Here you will have to tinker a little with the seedlings, but after transplanting into boxes you will only need to water and trim the tendrils.

Plant plants in containers with a volume of at least 5 liters. It is important to remember that cucumbers are big water feeders and the soil should always be moist. The optimal temperature is 21-24 degrees Celsius.

Tomatoes

Homemade tomatoes are usually chosen dwarf varieties: “Minibel”, “Florida Petit”, “Balcony Miracle”, etc. You will have to allocate the most illuminated place in the apartment to this miracle. You will need to start with seedlings, then plant them in containers, tie them up, feed them and protect them from the cold. This is one of the most troublesome balcony crops, but the harvest comes with pride in the work done and gardening talent.

It is important to remember that tomatoes, like all plants, love water, but they are easy to water. Therefore, watering should be done carefully. The optimal temperature is 23-25 ​​degrees Celsius.

Sorrel

In addition to its wonderful taste, sorrel is distinguished by the fact that it tolerates shaded areas. It can be grown from the rhizomes of 2-4 year old plants with buds or from the seeds of such varieties as “Maikopsky”, “Altaisky”, “Odessky broadleaf”.

It can grow at 5 and 20 degrees Celsius and can even withstand slight frosts. So you can keep it on the balcony until the last minute, and if the balcony holds the heat well, then you don’t have to put it away for the winter. Leaves are cut at a height of 8-10 cm; this must be done carefully so as not to damage the growth buds.

Ginger

Ginger is not only a tasty seasoning, but also beautiful plant. If planted at home, the sprouts can grow up to a meter in height. Plant pieces of ginger root, consisting of at least a couple of sections with live buds. If the root has dried out, you can keep it in warm water for several hours so that the buds wake up.

The root should not be planted very deeply, and until the first shoots appear, it should be watered very sparingly. Ginger should be kept in the light, but away from direct sunlight. The optimal temperature is 20-25 degrees Celsius.

A pineapple

Click on the picture to enlarge the image and try to guess what the queue is in the photo. It is unlikely that anyone will succeed if they have not seen this photo before. Below I will explain what it is and how it relates to the title.

For the second year now, I have been tirelessly trying to convey to everyone: there will be a big and long crisis, we must learn to survive, no reserves will be enough, we must have land and feed ourselves from it, because no salary will be enough for food. At first, few people believed in this, but now, however, they believe in the crisis - and it’s hard not to believe it when it’s already before your eyes, but most still believe that this won’t last long, it will settle down in a year or two. Well, somewhere in the third or fourth year of the crisis, they will begin to realize that this is more serious than they previously thought. And they will rush to look for a piece of land somewhere nearby. Yeah, two months ago they also rushed to buy dollars at 78 rubles, now they bite their elbows. The same thing will happen to the land around megacities - they will buy at exorbitant prices and curse themselves for not doing this earlier.

This photo is specially for stubborn optimists: look what is happening today in other countries, and tomorrow it can happen here. This is a line for food in Caracas, Venezuela. Literally a kilometer long. Despite the fact that the authorities prohibit spending the night in queues, and in general each citizen is allowed to stand in them only 2 times a week - on other days they simply will not sell anything to him.

But Ukraine is very close, and we still have to go through the crisis and disasters that are happening there - I just hope that we won’t have a war. We are just 2-3 years behind them in terms of economic devastation, so everything is still ahead.

The inevitable global crisis will spur the decline of our economy, a decline in living standards, and an increase in unemployment. People will save on literally everything, including food, but they still want to eat every day. And here further development of the situation is possible according to two scenarios.

The first one is the one you see in the photo. If populist socialists come to power, they will keep low prices on products, and as a result they will simply be swept off the shelves. As it was under Brezhnev. And as it is now - in an exaggerated form - in Venezuela.

The second is what is happening in Ukraine now. If liberals remain in power, for whom invisible hand market and private property rights are paramount. Store shelves will literally be bursting with goods, but people simply won’t have the money to buy them.

Something similar happened during the time of Khrushchev, when salaries were still relatively low. The stores had everything and no queues. People looked at this abundance, but mostly bought bread, milk and margarine. The poorest - kombinzhir (there was one - a mixture of animal fats for frying). Butter cost 3.20-3.50 and not everyone could afford it. To prevent it from disappearing, it was added to sour cream - all sour cream then had 30% fat content. Bored saleswomen, having nothing to do, built huge pyramids of canned food on the shelves and display cases: stewed meat, condensed milk, cream, saury and other delicacies.

Then, dear Leonid Ilyich, so that the people would love him better, he began to increase wages at a rate exceeding the growth in the production of consumer goods. The shelves were empty, sour cream was “lowered” to 15% (people were very indignant), pyramids were built from seaweed that no one needed. Of course, there was no hunger, but to fill the refrigerator it was necessary to spend many hours in queues. Particularly passionate battles flared up over sausage.

And so the people were lured from behind the hill by the abundance of this very sausage, like a donkey with a carrot. And the people fell for it, and sank their teeth into this sausage, and turned a blind eye to the plunder of the country, to the bandit takeover, to the sweet speeches about capitalist happiness. And now this same sausage is being taken away from him again, capitalist happiness turned out to be short-lived. But back then they explained to everyone in school: crises are the inevitability of capitalism.

Well, we’ve already gone through several minor inevitabilities, we’ve gotten used to it. But now the ninth wave is coming, it will sweep away everything. Relying on government help is foolish. The socialist state was obliged to help the people, and did this, albeit at the expense of the people themselves: it did not fully pay the hard workers, but supported the poor. There were no particularly rich people, nor were there any particularly poor ones. Leveling.

But now we have a capitalist state, and from past crises we already know who it helps: bankers and oligarchs. Billions of dollars are spent to support banks and monopolies, but the people receive pennies. Therefore, saving drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves. If you don’t take care of your personal food (and other) security today, no one will do it for you.

Reserves will run out, money will burn in the fire of inflation. And only the land will produce a harvest for its owner every year. Growing a crop is the same as printing money for the same amount as it costs. Sewing a dress also means printing money for the cost of this dress in the store. Knitting socks or a sweater is the same. Print money at home to reduce your dependence on external adversities. This is the only way to survive in the coming years, and maybe even decades. The more you print your own money, the less government money you will need. Anyone can print their own. To get government benefits, you must at least have a job, and not everyone will have one. Social payments (pensions, benefits) will be negligible.

And one last thing. Printing your own money (growing food, sewing, knitting, crafting) is not as easy as it might seem. You have to be able to do this, and to be able to do it, you have to study. And you need to learn now, then it will be late and difficult, and without any room for error.

Throughout history, man has independently obtained his own food by hunting, fishing, gathering or farming. Nowadays, for most people, these methods of obtaining food have become just a hobby, since food can always be purchased in great abundance in the store. But producing your own food can also be a source of health, safety and enjoyment for you and your family.

Steps

Planning

Determine what crops can be grown in your region. The main determining factors are, of course, climate, soil, rainfall and accessible territory. The simplest and in a fast way To find out what crops can be grown in your region is to visit the nearest farm or garden. Here is a list of basic questions that you should find answers to if you are planning to start your own vegetable garden:

• Climate. In some regions, the harvest period lasts very long a short time, such as in Northern Europe and Africa. Therefore, they give preference to fast-growing crops that can be harvested and stored in winter. In other regions where there are no harsh winters and the weather is warm all year round, vegetables and grains yield all year round.
• The soil. Soil type is very important when choosing crops because some crops can produce very rich crops while others produce very poor crops. Therefore, it is best to use as the main crop those vegetables and grains that are best suited to your soil type and do not highlight large plot for crops that require special care and fertilizers.
• Precipitation. Few crops can be grown without constant watering and therefore most of them require constant watering or natural irrigation. When choosing crops, consider your region's average rainfall and watering capabilities. If you live in a dry region, then you may want to consider building a rainwater harvesting system.
• Territory. If you have a large plot of land at your disposal, you can grow a large number of crops traditional way, if the territory is limited, then to obtain big harvest you may have to search alternative options, such as, for example, hydroponics, growing crops in containers, renting land from farms or vertical gardening.

1. Understand how the agricultural season is organized. Growing food isn't just about planting seeds and harvesting crops. Further, in the section Growing we will tell you about the main stages of growing a certain crop. The process of preparing crops for sowing is approximately the same, but it is important to consider that you will have to prepare each crop separately, however, importantly, you will be able to plant as many crops as you want.

   Get acquainted with various types crops At the word vegetables You probably imagined the vegetable department of a supermarket. To some extent, you are right, but if you decide to produce your own food, you will need to provide for your entire diet and will not limit yourself to just one supermarket. Here's a rough list of the crops you'll likely choose to grow.

   • Vegetables. This includes legumes, greens, root vegetables, grains and cucurbits (squashes, cucumbers, melons and squash). This food will be an excellent source of many nutrients and vitamins, such as:
     • Squirrels. Legumes are very rich in proteins.
     • Carbohydrates. Potatoes and beets are rich sources of complex carbohydrates and many minerals.
     • Vitamins and minerals. Greens, such as cabbage, lettuce, spinach, etc., as well as pumpkin plants such as cucumbers and zucchini, are rich in essential vitamins and minerals.
   • Fruits. Almost everyone knows that fruits are a valuable source of vitamin C, but in addition to it, they bring many other vitamins, minerals and flavor variety to your diet. Fruits can be stored dried or canned, so long-term storage your harvest you won't need a refrigerator.
   • Cereals. Of those who decide to grow their own food, few think about growing grain crops and in vain, since grains are the basis of a healthy diet. They are rich in carbohydrates and fiber and can be stored for a long period of time. In many early civilizations, as well as in many modern countries, grains were the staple food of the population. This category of crops includes:
     • Corn. Often consumed as a side dish and a vegetable in meals, corn is a versatile food that is easy to store. Some varieties, once ripened, can be stored whole cobs, grains or ground, for later use in making bread or dishes such as hominy. Corn is very unpretentious, and it is especially easy to grow in latitudes with long day lengths. The most the easy way It will be frozen to prepare corn for the winter.
     • Wheat. Most of you are of course familiar with wheat, which makes up much of the flour you use every day to bake bread, pies, pastries and more. Wheat stores well after harvest, but the harvesting process itself is much more labor-intensive than harvesting corn. To do this, the stalks of wheat are cut, folded into sheaves, then the grains are released from the ears and ground into flour.
     • Oats. Another grain crop, often eaten, the processing process of which is as labor-intensive as for wheat. However, this crop can also be considered as an option in those regions where its cultivation is not expensive.
     • Rice. For humid regions that are often flooded or prone to flooding, rice is the primary grain crop. Rice is grown on flooded soils and is as common as wheat.
     • Other grains include rye and barley, which are similar to oats and wheat.

2. Choose crops and varieties that suit the climate of your region. It is impossible to provide detailed and accurate information for each specific region in this article. Therefore, we will consider only the basic requirements for growing various plants in accordance with the regions of their cultivation, recommended by the US Department of Agriculture, which will allow you to roughly compare and evaluate the germination ability of certain crops in your region.

   • Beans, peas and other legumes. These crops are planted after frost has subsided and the risk of frost has passed. They require from 75 to 90 days to produce their first harvest and can, if proper care, continue to bear fruit until the onset of autumn cold weather.
   • Pumpkin. This group of plants includes squashes, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. These plants are planted after the last frost and require 45 (cucumbers) to 130 days (pumpkins) to mature.
   • Tomatoes. This fruit (usually classified as a vegetable) can be planted in containers (provided it is kept warm) and then transplanted into the soil after the threat of frost has passed. Tomatoes also bear fruit all season long.
   • Cereals. Growing grain crops is very different from vegetables, since there are several types of them - winter and spring crops, which are sown in different time of the year. Simply put, spring crops such as wheat and corn are planted in late winter when subzero temperatures should only last a couple of weeks, then they need about 110 days to mature and another 30-60 days to dry enough to be harvested and stored as seed for future sowing.
   • Fruit trees. Apples, pears, plums and peaches are considered as perennials and they do not require annual planting. These fruit trees require pruning and care and first modest harvest can be obtained in 2-3 years. When the trees reach the fruiting stage, the yield will increase each year and later, from mature trees, several bushels (18 kg boxes) can be harvested per year.

3. Develop a planting plan for your site. When planning, you will need to consider a lot important details such as: intrusion by wild animals, which may require the installation of a fence or fence, open access sunlight, since some crops require more sunlight than others to grow well, and topography, since planting on too textured soils can lead to many problems.

   • Make a list of all the crops that can be grown on your site. Your list should be varied and relevant. nutritional values, which were mentioned earlier. By talking to other farmers and studying information from seed companies, you can get a rough estimate of the potential yield of each individual plant. Using your list and the planting plan you developed earlier, you can roughly calculate the number of seeds you will need. If the area of ​​the plot allows, sow additional seeds in case some of the main ones do not sprout or the plants die due to improper care, because you are just starting and are not yet sure of the results of your work.
   • If you have a small plot, then try to plan so that all the land is used rationally. In some regions, with the exception of those with harsh winters, it is possible to grow and harvest spring, summer, autumn and winter crops. This will allow you to enjoy fresh food all year round. Beets, carrots, cauliflower, peas, cabbage, onions, turnips, mustard greens and many other crops prefer cool, but not frosty weather. In addition, winter varieties are much less susceptible to insect attack. If you're very limited on space, consider alternative options (see Tips).

4. Consider storage methods. If you're going to grow grains, you'll need barns that will keep your crops dry and safe from insects and rodents. If you are going to produce food for your own consumption, then it is better to consider a combined system for storing and preserving your harvest. So, the main ways to store crops are:

   • Drying. This method is very useful and effective for storing fruits and some vegetables. Drying can be done in any dry and warm climate, without any high-tech gadgets.
   • Canning. This method requires containers (which, with the exception of lids, which can deteriorate over time, are designed to be reused over time), as well as careful preparation, kitchen equipment, and skill. Salting is also considered a method of preservation, although, in fact, it is not one.
   • Freezing. This method also requires careful preparation of the products, as well as freezer and suitable container.
   • Burtting. This method has not been mentioned before, but it is very effective for storing root vegetables such as potatoes, beets, rutabaga, etc. The essence of the method is that the vegetables are folded in the form gable roof in trenches in layers on a straw bedding, and then covered with layers of tightly combed hay.
   • On the ground: Many root vegetables and brassicas (like turnips and kale) can overwinter in the garden, and the key here is to keep the ground from freezing. In more temperate climates this may require only a covering material, but in colder climates up to a foot of mulch and protective film. This storage method will help you save space and keep your food fresh.

5. Balance costs and profits. On initial stage you will have to make a considerable investment, especially if you are starting from scratch and without any equipment. In addition, growing food also involves a lot of physical effort, which in turn can also lead to financial costs if you leave your job in order to achieve your goal. Before investing large amounts of money and time, evaluate the profitability of your project, local climatic conditions, an affordable selection of crops and really evaluate your physical capabilities. Your main benefit will be healthy food without herbicides, pesticides and other contaminants, except those you choose to use.

   Start working step by step. If you have fertile land and good equipment, then you can start large-scale production, but remember that until you have sufficient knowledge and skills, selecting the right crops suitable for your land and climate will become a game of cat and mouse. Often, communicating with experienced people in your area is the best source of accurate information about what plants to choose and at what time to plant, and if you do not have such an opportunity, then in the first year limit yourself to trial planting of selected crops to see if they bear fruit well. Start small, planting a small percentage of your total food requirement to gauge your potential yield and develop your skills.

   Growing

   1. Till the ground. If the land has already been cultivated, then it will be enough to loosen it and cultivate it using a plow attached to a traction animal or tractor, and if the plot is smaller, then using a motor cultivator. Not at all small area or if you have limited funds, you will have to do everything the old fashioned way with a pick, shovel and hoe. It is best if someone helps you, since the process is long and labor-intensive. Before you start plowing the soil, it is necessary to clear it of stones, roots and branches, large bushes and weeds.

      Dig up the beds. With modern farming equipment, this process depends on the type of crop being planted. Here we look at the general methods that a person without similar equipment and experience. To prepare the beds, you first need to mark out the area for planting, and then, using a hoe or plow, create low mounds of loose soil across the width of the area. Then, using the tool of your choice, create shallow holes in the garden bed.

      Place the seeds in the hole to the depth indicated in the instructions. It may depend on the crop you choose. As a general rule, fleshy plants such as cucurbits (beans and peas) and melons, squash and cucumbers are planted 2-2.5 cm deep, and corn and potatoes are planted 6-9 cm deep. Once you have placed the seeds into the hole, sprinkle them with earth and compact them (lightly patting them with your palm) so that the hole does not dry out too quickly. Continue this procedure until you have the planned number of beds.

      • Alternatively, you can start the seeds at home, thereby preparing seedlings, or in a greenhouse, and then transplant them into the beds.

   2. Hill up your plants when the soil becomes compacted due to watering or rain and weed out the weeds. By planting plants in beds, you leave yourself the opportunity to move between them to perform these tasks (if you do everything manually). You will need to be extremely careful to loosen the soil near the plant itself without damaging its roots. To reduce or even eliminate weeds, you can use mulch.

      Make sure that insects and animals do not damage your crops. If you notice eaten leaves, you will need to identify the cause. Many animals prefer tender new shoots to the main vegetation, so you will need to protect your plantings from them, but the main problem when growing food is insects. If there are few of them, then you can simply remove them from the shoots or destroy them, but if the problem is very acute, then you will most likely have to resort to the help of special chemicals and biological species protection (plant plants nearby that repel insects).

Cucumbers, peppers, carrots and even strawberries! All this can be grown on a balcony or windowsill and you can eat fresh, environmentally friendly, and most importantly, free vegetables and fruits all year round. Right now we’ll tell you how to plant a mini-vegetable garden in a city apartment.

Growing food in cities is popular all over the world. So, Britta Riley lives in a tiny apartment in New York. She came up with a vertical hydroponic garden. It takes up little space and brings a good harvest. Britta spoke about her innovation at TED.

In the West, if a product is labeled eco, bio or organic, it means two things. Firstly, these products are grown, harvested and processed in accordance with environmental standards, that is, without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, growth stimulants and other “nasties”. They were certified, and serious organizations guaranteed their quality. Secondly, organic products are an order of magnitude more expensive than conventional ones.

Our “clean food” market is just emerging. Biocertification and control systems have not yet been formed. And the difference in prices between bioproducts and conventional vegetables and fruits sometimes reaches 1,000%! Therefore, for us, the most eco, bio and organic are products grown with our own hands.

But not everyone has dachas or relatives in the village. What should urban children do, accustomed to seeing potatoes washed and in nets, and greens in vacuum packages? Grow vegetables and fruits directly on the balcony or windowsill.

6 reasons to start a mini-vegetable garden at home

1. You can pamper yourself with fresh vegetables and herbs full of vitamins all year round.
2. Saving. Vegetables and fruits are expensive, especially in winter. With a home garden, you no longer have to adapt to the season (we only eat enough tomatoes in July, and apples in September).
3. You yourself can grow a plant from a tiny seed with your own hands, and you can collect the fruits. This is a creative activity that charges with positive energy.
4. You can improve your knowledge of biology, gain useful skills and acquire an exciting hobby.
5. Your children will see tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables growing and will understand that they do not materialize miraculously in the refrigerator, their cultivation is serious work.
6. You can surprise your friends and acquaintances. Imagine showing off your harvest by showing off your window beds. ;)

What you need to grow vegetables and herbs at home

• Place. Usually this is a windowsill or balcony. It's better if they go out sunny side. If not, lamps will be required for additional lighting. If necessary, the window sill can be expanded or shelves can be built for “beds” ( minimum distance between shelves - 50 cm).
• Capacities. Beds for home garden clay or plastic pots can serve, wooden boxes. The main thing is that there are holes in the bottom for draining water. It is recommended to place containers on pallets.
• Priming. There are many soil mixtures available for indoor vegetable gardens. As a rule, several layers are made: peat, compost, turf. You can prepare the soil yourself, or you can buy it at a specialized store.
• Seeds. Some varieties of tomatoes or cucumbers grow well at home, while others do not even sprout. Therefore, before you start indoor gardening, you need to sit on forums, read articles on the Internet and find out what seeds to buy.

In addition, you may need fertilizers, fertilizing, a thermometer and a vessel for settling water (houseplants are watered room temperature separated from chlorine).

We have the inventory, now we need to decide what to plant. Lifehacker has already written about some vegetables that grow beautifully on a windowsill.

16 PRODUCTS YOU CAN GROW AT HOME

Today we will tell you about ten more such plants.

Carrot

Variety : "Amsterdamian".
Temperature : from 15 to 25 ºС.
Harvest : in ≈70 days.

To grow at home, you need to take miniature varieties of carrots. You can plant in boxes, pots or simply cut plastic bottles with holes in the bottom. The soil should be drained.

The seeds are placed in the ground to a depth of about 7 cm. When the carrots sprout and sprout a few centimeters, they need to be thinned out, leaving the strongest sprouts at a distance of about 2 cm from each other. It is not recommended to keep the beds in direct sunlight.

You need to water carrots at home often, but you need to make sure that there is not too much moisture, otherwise the root crop will rot. From time to time you can feed with fertilizers with a low nitrogen content (if there is a lot of it, all the growth will go into the tops). It is also very useful to loosen the soil from time to time.

Pepper

Pepper grown on the balcony

Varieties : “treasure island”, “dwarf”, “watercolor”, “swallow” and others.
Temperature : from 25 to 27 ºС.
Harvest : after 100–130 days.

The seeds are first planted in small pots, which are covered with cling film and placed in a warm place. When the first shoots appear (in one to two weeks), several small punctures need to be made in the film. After some time, the pepper will get stronger, then it can be transplanted into large pots or buckets. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the spine. Root the plant by a third, after which it is watered with warm (30 ºС) water.

In the future, the pepper can be watered every day. This plant loves light, so in addition to natural light Lamps with a white spectrum are recommended. It is necessary to protect home-grown peppers from drafts and direct sunlight.

You can fertilize with nitrogen fertilizers, but potassium salt and potassium chloride will destroy the roots of the plant. With proper care, peppers on the windowsill can produce fruit for up to two years.

Cherry tomatoes

Varieties : “pygmy”, “bonsai”, “bead” and others.
Temperature : from 23 to 25 ºС.
Harvest : after 90–100 days (depending on the variety).

Soil, as in the case of pepper, is more convenient to buy ready-made. It is recommended to take a cylindrical container: it is better filled with the root system.

First, the seeds are germinated in small pots: buried to a depth of 1.5 cm, covered with cling film and left in a warm place until the first sprouts. When the tomatoes have risen, they are dived into a larger and deeper bowl.

It is important that the plant receives even lighting. To do this, you can hang fluorescent lamps over the “beds” or regularly turn the containers towards the window.

Water carefully: it’s easy to overwater cherry tomatoes. When the plant grows, it is recommended to loosen and feed the soil from time to time. mineral fertilizers. If necessary, the tomato trunk can be tied to a support (wooden skewer or pencil). It is also important to ensure that pests do not appear on the tomatoes.

By the way, not only cherry tomatoes grow well in home gardens, but also ordinary tomatoes.

cucumbers

Cucumbers grown on the window

Varieties : “Rytov’s room”, “miracle on the window”, “ant” and others.
Temperature : from 21 to 24 ºС.
Harvest : in 35–45 days.

For cucumbers you need fairly large containers, at least 6 liters in volume. The soil should be loose, with peat or compost.

Self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers grow well at home. First you need to prepare the seeds: they are poured into a weak brine, those that float up are thrown away. Then suitable seeds are soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, after which they are washed on damp gauze and planted in the ground (under a film). When the seedlings sprout and grow, they can be planted in large containers.

Water homemade cucumbers with warm water every day, but with caution. The leaves can also be sprayed with a spray bottle. Potassium nitrate is recommended as a top dressing.

When the vines of cucumbers form and grow, supports should be built for them so that the plant can weave.

Radish

Homegrown radish

Varieties : “Carmen”, “White Fang”, “Celeste F1” and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 20 ºС.
Harvest : in ≈40 days.

It is recommended to plant radishes in wooden or clay containers, but you can also use ordinary ones. plastic cups. You need loose, well-drained soil. Before planting, seeds can be tested for germination, like cucumbers. After which they need to be buried to a depth of 1–3 cm.

After planting, the soil must be watered and covered with film. When the shoots appear, the “greenhouse” is removed. Radishes, as a rule, are not picked. But sometimes they place him in a lower place for two or three days. temperature regime- about 15 °C. This hardens the plant and promotes a better harvest.

Five days after the appearance of the first shoots, carry out organic fertilizer, and two weeks later - mineral. Water the radishes generously as they dry. It is also important that the air in the room where it grows is not dry.

Spinach

Homemade spinach

Varieties : “virofle”, “godri”, “gigantic” and others.
Temperature : 15 ºС.
Harvest : in ≈40 days.

Spinach is a green vegetable and is considered very healthy. To grow it at home, you need containers 15–20 cm high. You can use ready-made soil mixtures. The main thing is that they contain peat.

It is recommended to soak the seeds in water for a day before planting. Sowing is carried out to a depth of 1–2 cm. To speed up germination, you can cover the containers with film. Spinach sprouts about a week after planting, then it can be picked.

In winter, when the heating is on in the apartment and when there is short daylight, it is recommended to illuminate the plant with lamps and spray it with a spray bottle (in addition to watering).

The harvest can be harvested when the spinach reaches 7–10 cm in height.

Basil

Varieties : “marquis”, “lemon”, “Baku” and others.
Temperature : from 22 to 24 °C.
Harvest : in 50–55 days.

Basil is one of the most aromatic and favorite seasonings for housewives. At the same time, it is quite unpretentious and grows well on a windowsill.

Plant basil immediately in large containers (at least 1.5 liters in volume). First you need to prepare the soil for planting: water it twice with mineral fertilizers at an interval of five days. The seeds are deepened by 1–1.5 cm. Until the plant sprouts, it must be watered every two days. Further watering is carried out daily, preferably in the morning.

Green garlic

Varieties : “Kharkov”, “anniversary” and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 25 °C.
Harvest : in 15–20 days.

As a rule, garlic bulbs are used in cooking. But green shoots(arrows) are also suitable for gastronomy: they are suitable for preparing marinades and sauces.

Garlic varieties are divided into two groups: winter and spring. The latter usually do not produce arrows, so they are not suitable for growing at home.

For those who have ever grown onions on a windowsill, dealing with garlic will not be difficult. You need to take winter garlic cloves, preferably with sprouted sprouts. You can use any soil mixture. Each clove is planted at a depth of 2–3 cm and at a distance of 1–2 cm from each other. After planting, you must water it.

The container with garlic should be kept on the brightest window in the house. Water as the soil dries. From time to time you can feed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Mint

Temperature : from 20 to 25 °C.
Harvest : in ≈60 days.

Mint has a fairly branched root system, so to plant it you should take a deep and wide container. It is recommended to use peat soil, any variety.

There are two ways to plant mint: seeds and cuttings. The latter is shown in the video below.

To grow mint from seeds, you need to plant them in the ground to a depth of about 5 mm and water them. To create a greenhouse effect, you can use film. Before the emergence of seedlings (after about two weeks), the soil should be sprinkled with water every day. After germination, mint must be planted.

Mint is unpretentious. In summer it should be protected from direct sunlight, and in winter from lack of light and overwatering. From time to time, the plant can be fed with organic mixtures.

Mature plants can reach a meter in height. As a rule, they have a lot of leaves - there will almost always be mint for tea or homemade mojito.

Strawberry

Varieties : “autumn fun”, “homemade delicacy”, “garland” and others.
Temperature : from 18 to 20 °C.
Harvest : in ≈30 days.

Ampelous ones are suitable for the home garden. remontant varieties strawberries They bear fruit all year round and are not too demanding of light. You can plant strawberries in any soil mixture. But first, drainage (expanded clay, small pebbles) should be poured onto the bottom to protect the strawberries from stagnation of water.

Strawberries can be grown from seedlings or seeds. Both are sold in gardening stores.

Seeds are planted in small containers (for example, plastic glasses), water generously and cover with cling film. After the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place. When three or four leaves are formed, the strawberries are dived into larger containers.

This plant loves light. When days are shorter than nights, artificial lighting should be used. Watering and spraying are carried out as the soil dries. Strawberries are easy to pour.

Solutions with a significant iron content are used as fertilizing. During active growth, the strawberry grows tendrils; they need to be tied to supports.

As you can see, growing vegetables, herbs and even berries in a city apartment is not difficult and even fun.

Estonian startup offers its own automatic mini-farms for growing greens

Estonian startup Click & Grow is working on technology for growing greenery directly in urban environments. An automatic vertical “smart farm” the size of a refrigerator monitors itself required quantity water, nutrients and light that plants need. Minimal care and a radically reduced amount of water required for growth are interesting properties of the farm that can make it popular.

Click & Grow are no strangers to urban growing. A few years ago, they ran a super-successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, and now offer smart pots and smart gardens to everyone. These devices are also designed for growing plants at home. One plant grows in a pot, three in a garden. This is not much, but they take up space like a regular flower pot. But, unlike the potty, everything is done automatically.

Smart kindergarten from C&G

Vertical mini farm

The unique Smart Soil technology, in the development of which Russian scientists also took part, allows the use of sponge material instead of ordinary soil. It does not compact over time, nutrients are not washed out of it, and it is highly permeable to the oxygen necessary for plant growth. “Smart gardens” are equipped with LED lighting, ideal for plant growth, and supply them with the right amount of water, which only needs to be topped up once a month.

Instead of a refrigerator. The joy of a vegetarian.

Bye vertical farms are not yet available for general sale, but prototypes are already being assembled to order. If it is as simple and cost-effective to operate as the startup's previous products, then its potential use is very wide. After all, agriculture is the largest consumer fresh water For example, in the USA, farmers use up to 80% of all water consumed by residents. In places on the planet where there are shortages of water, or in large, congested cities where fresh greens have to be delivered from afar, the idea of ​​​​saving water coupled with growing greens “on site” is sure to gain support. After all, even if drinking yoghurt is useless, no one will argue about the benefits of consuming greens.

Vertical farms have been planned to be built in urban environments for a long time. And they can actually use 70-80% less water than conventional farms. But due to the high complexity of the hydroponic system, their cost is tens of thousands of dollars. The creators of Smart Farm promise to deliver it at a price of only $1,500. And if not everyone can install such a farm next to their refrigerator, large supermarkets will probably be interested in the opportunity to sell super-fresh greens grown right in the warehouse.

You can save a lot of money by growing these foods at home.

Growing plants from seeds is correct and logical, but what is truly unusual is growing vegetables and fruits from their remains. Does it take more time? Yes. Does this make shopping easier? Definitely! Let's get started then?!

Level 1: Beginner Gardener

Green onions are the easiest thing you can grow at home. Change the water every day and you will see results within a week.

2. You can grow garlic sprouts (they are edible) from a garlic clove.

Or you can use just the garlic itself after it has grown.

3. You can grow a variety of romaine lettuce from the bottom of the lettuce.

You don't need soil to grow lettuce, but if you do grow in soil, the leaves will be twice as large. You can grow cabbage using the same principle.

4. Try to germinate carrot tops using only top part carrots.

At first glance, it looks more like a school experiment than something you're going to eat. Carrot tops may be slightly bitter, but you can add some garlic, vinegar, and honey to sweeten them.

The supply of basil can literally be endless. Change the water as often as possible to prevent the plant from becoming covered in mucus.

Level 2: Confident Amateur

6. Lemongrass also grows from the bottom of its stem...

The bottom of the lemongrass stem is too hard to cook, so you can use it to grow new supplies without having to throw away half the plant. Leave the lemongrass parts in the water for about three weeks. When you see roots appearing, transplant them into soil and place them on a sunny windowsill.

7. ... like celery.

Looks strange, doesn't it? Leave some of the celery in water for three days, then be sure to replant it in soil.

8. But onions are sprouted from the bottom of the bulb.

It seems strange that you can just cut off part of an onion, plant it in the soil and after a while something magical happens.

It is grown according to the same principle as celery.

Level 3: Experienced Gardener

10. A small tree grows from an avocado seed.

A seed can only germinate from a ripe fruit, but before planting, the seed must be removed from the fruit. Growing avocados requires a lot of attention. In order for the first avocados to germinate, the plant will take from 5 to 13 years. If you are confident and have a lot of free time, then why not?

For this:

1. Wash the seed. Using three toothpicks, insert them into the part of the seed that is not in the water.
2. Place it in a warm place where direct Sun rays and change the water as needed. You will see the roots and base grow in about two to six weeks.
3. When the base is 15-17 cm long, cut it to approximately 7-8 cm.
4. When the roots become thicker and the base is covered with green foliage, transplant it into a pot of humus-rich soil, planting the seed only halfway.
5. Water the plant frequently. Generally, the soil should be moist but not wet. Yellowish leaves are a sign that there is too much water. If this happens, stop watering the plant for several days.
6. The more sunlight the better.
7. If the leaves turn brown and dry out at the tips, it means too much salt has accumulated in the soil. In this case, pour some water and let it soak into the soil for a few minutes.
8. When the base has grown to 30 cm tall, cut it back to 15 cm to allow new shoots to grow.
9. Don't expect yours indoor plant will bear fruit. Although this does happen sometimes, it usually requires transplants. A plant grown from seed will take 5 to 13 years to produce flowers and produce fruit. Fruit on trees grown from seed is rarely suitable for consumption.

11. Sweet potatoes sprout, from which new fruits will appear.

Sweet potatoes grow from shoots rather than from seeds or pieces of the potato, like white potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be grown in either water or soil (only half the tuber should remain in the soil).

To grow in water, place the tuber in a cup of water, but touch both sides wooden sticks(you can use toothpicks) and then it will start to grow faster. You can place the cup either on the window or on the refrigerator - there will be no difference in the growth of the plant. When grown in water, you can get about 50 shoots from one tuber.

Over time it will need much more space.

Potatoes also grow quite quickly in soil. It is much more convenient to grow potatoes in the garden. If regrown potato leaves lie in the soil for a long time, they can also produce fruit later. These leaves can be eaten because... they are edible and you can find recipes for making them. But when growing outside the home, do not forget that potatoes are very sensitive to cold.

The shoots may take a few months to sprout, and expect a harvest only after a year, but at least this undertaking will not require any special expenses.

Prepare several rhizomes that have already formed buds. You will notice greenish growths at the tops of the rhizomes. The roots should be large and healthy. Cut them into pieces so that each of them has a shoot. If they dry out, they most likely will not germinate. Soak ginger in water overnight.

Fill the pot with soil and plant the rhizomes with the shoots facing down. Lightly press the rhizomes into the soil and add some water. If you live in a cold climate, then place the pot on the sunny side, and if you sit in a hot climate, then on the shady side. Ginger is tropical plant and loves the heat, but he cannot tolerate too much sun in this climate.

Water the plant periodically and be patient. It may take quite a long time (from 3 months) before the first shoots appear.

13. Try growing a pineapple from its top.

That's right, you can grow pineapple right at home, but it will take about 3 years.

Step 1. Purchase a ripe pineapple from any grocery store that has healthy, green leaves (not yellow or brown) and a golden brown skin. It's best to try to grow two pineapples in case one of them doesn't sprout. If you decide that you bought too many pineapples than you can eat, then simply cut them up and freeze them. Frozen pineapples taste great!

Prepare the top. Take the entire top with all the leaves and twisting movements try to pull it out with a small part of the stem (If you just cut off the top, you will have to remove all the excess fruit pulp, otherwise rotting processes may kill the entire fruit). Once you've separated the stem, carefully slice small, horizontal sections from the bottom of the top until you see root buds, which look like little dots or circles on the cut surface. Cut as little as possible to avoid cutting off the base, which then needs to sprout. Once the top is ready, let it dry for a couple of days before moving on to the next step.

Let the roots grow from the top. Place the top in a transparent glass vase with water and change the water every few days. Place the vase out of the way in an area that is temperature neutral (not too hot and not too cold), such as on top of the refrigerator. After three weeks you will be able to see the root sprouting.

Step 4. As soon as the roots appear, transplant the pineapple into a clay pot with a soil mixture, which should have perlite at the bottom. Clay pot 45 cm in diameter with drainage system will be ideal for this. There should be approximately 5cm of perlite at the bottom of the pot before adding the mixture.

The soil should always be slightly moist (not wet, which will cause rot, and not dry). It will take 6 - 8 weeks for the stem to emerge for strong roots to begin to sprout. Don't rush this process.

Over time, you will begin to notice that the leaves that were originally on the pineapple will begin to die and turn brown, but new ones will grow to replace them. Throughout the year, cut off dead leaves and water the pineapple no more than once a week. If they grow, then everything is going as it should. As soon as a year has passed, the plant will need to be replanted.

Step 5. Transplant.

When replanting, avoid getting soil between the leaves. As the pineapple and its roots grow, you will also need to transplant it into an even larger pot.

In winter, pineapple stops growing, but with the onset of spring, growth should resume. If this does not happen, then carefully remove it from the soil and check the roots. Change the soil mixture if necessary.

Pineapple is a tropical plant and cold temperatures can easily kill it.

Pineapples need to be given at least 6 hours bright light every day. IN summer time, place the plant on the sunny side of the windowsill or even in the garden.