Start growing your own windowsill garden with these gorgeous, low-maintenance plants!
Ever since the beginning of 2020, many of us have turned into plant parents. We have filled empty corners of our home with plants, from the elegant Fiddle Leaf Fig, Monstera, to small indoor plants, such as succulents and Pothos. However, there’s one area in our home that most of us tend to leave empty, the windowsill. Starting your own windowsill garden doesn’t require a ton of space nor a green thumb. So, if you’re looking for a new excuse to add more plants into your home, we suggest starting your own windowsill garden! Trust us, there’s nothing better than adding a sprig of homegrown mint in your mojito after a tiring Zoom meeting.
What Is a Windowsill Garden?
From the name itself, a windowsill garden is a group of indoor plants that you grow on a windowsill. It’s perfect for plant parents who want to start growing their own herbs and leafy greens. Plus, it’s easy to create your personal windowsill garden even if you live in a small space, like an apartment, because it doesn’t take too much space.
Materials You Need for a Windowsill Garden
To start your windowsill garden, you’ll be needing the following materials:
- Sunlight: The windowsill should get enough sunlight for at least five hours per day because some windowsill plants require full sun to grow well.
- Containers: It’s recommended to choose pots or containers with proper drainage holes as standing water can cause root rot.
- Maintenance: Aside from providing enough light and proper watering, you’ll need to occasionally prune or harvest your windowsill plants to avoid overcrowding.
Best Plants for Your Windowsill Garden
- Herbs: The most common plant to grow in a windowsill garden since herbs grow well in small spaces. It’s perfect to grow herbs at home because you’re just a few steps away from fresh aromatics. It’s best to group herbs according to their light and water needs, so it’s easier to care for them.
- Leafy Greens: Ideal for windows that don’t get enough light or at least five hours of full sun. Leafy greens require at least 2 to 3 hours of light every day. You can also use grow lights if you can’t provide three hours of sunlight per day.
- Legumes: These low-maintenance crops are perfect windowsill plants since they don’t require a ton of space, especially bush-bean varieties since they grow in a compact bush form.
- Succulents: Another common windowsill plant, a popular choice of beginners and busy plant owners because they’re easy to care for and tough indoor plants. Just be careful not to overwater them.
- Tomatoes: Yes, you got that right. Tomatoes are a popular choice of gardeners because they grow fast and require little attention. However, for some people, growing tomatoes can be quite challenging, especially if your window doesn’t get enough sun. Tomatoes are sun-loving plants that need at least 5 hours of full sun every day. If you’d like to take on the challenge of growing tomatoes at home, choose dwarf varieties, and it’s important to provide a cage or trellis for them to grow on.
- Flowers: Ideal flowers to add to your windowsill garden are African violets, cyclamens, daffodils, hyacinths, and geraniums.
- Small Root Vegetables: If you want to add a different type of plant for your windowsill, opt for small root vegetables, such as carrots and radishes. However, take note that they need a little more space compared to other windowsill plants.
- Microgreens: Microgreens are baby plants that are approximately 1–3 inches tall, such as pea shoots, radish sprouts, sunflower shoots, and wheatgrass. Most microgreens are used as a nutrition supplement or a flavor enhancement.
- Allium-Family Crops: Examples of alliums are green onions and garlic. These plants require minimum space and soil. Additionally, green onions can be grown in a jar of water.
Steps to Start Your Own Windowsill Garden
Follow these step-by-step guide to set up your own windowsill garden. You can do it!
- Choose the Right Windowsill and Plants to Grow: Your windowsill can only provide a small space for your plants, so it’s best to plan which plants you’d like to grow. It’s important to consider the amount of light that your windows get since most plants require at least five hours of full sun per day.
- Choose Containers With Good Drainage: Of course, one of the requirements of a successful windowsill garden is to choose pots or containers with proper drainage to avoid problems, such as root rot.
- Choose Your Soil: Your plants will grow best in potting soil or potting mix. It’s lighter compared to the usual garden soil. Give your plants a good start by providing them with the proper nutrients by choosing soil with lots of organic matter.
- Plant Your Seeds: Ron Finley from MasterClass shares that herbs, leafy greens, legumes, and microgreens do best when started from seeds, so it’s important to learn how to plant them properly. Plant them in a container with adequate spacing, so they’ll have room to grow well.
- Water: Of course, once everything’s settled, water your plants evenly. Follow the water requirements and keep the soil moist.
Creating your own windowsill garden is an easy and efficient way to grow a fresh supply of leafy greens, herbs, crops, and microgreens all year long. Check out our Plant Care blog to learn more about different houseplants and tips on how to keep your plants alive and healthy.
Whatever houseplant you choose to transform your home into a lively oasis, you’ll definitely need a stylish planter to display your plant baby in. No matter what your style, there’s an Omysa planter that will be perfect with your garden and home’s décor. From ceramics to fiberstone, check out Omysa’s Shop and add it to your cart!
