A Green Winter
by Scott Vlaun

For many in the northern temperate zone, late fall can signal the beginning of the doldrums in the gardening cycle. Most of us have harvested what we can from our gardens, stored out roots, canned what we could, and put the rest in the freezer. Even in our cold frames, the harvest is almost over. One of the best ways I've found to beat the late-season blues is to plant some salad on a sunny windowsill. While a few small containers might not yield the same quantity and quality of salad that comes out of the garden in late spring or early fall, that handful of fresh-picked mesclun on a sandwich or as a side salad takes on a whole new meaning in the short, dark days of January when fresh, nutritious green food is hard to find.

While growing windowsill salad is as easy as filling some containers and adding seeds and water, there are a few details that will help increase your satisfaction and assure you of a steady harvest. Like any gardening pursuit, indoor container gardening is about finding a working combination of soil, water, light, and the right varieties to grow. As far as containers go, almost anything that is at least three inches deep will do, a little deeper is better, and something long and narrow to take advantage of the limited space is optimal. Seeds of Change carries a nice selection in the container gardening section of the website and catalog.

Probably the most important thing for successful windowsill gardening is a good organic potting mix that combines adequate fertility with a balance of good drainage and sufficient moisture retention. I've had good results with screened garden compost and sharp sand, or a 50/50 mix of coir fiber and worm castings, but the best bet for the beginning container gardener is to find a complete organic blend such as our Fox Farm Ocean Forest Organic Potting Mix.

Once you've got your container full of potting mix, sow seeds of mixed salad greens fairly densely on the surface and cover thinly with more mix. At this point I like to drench lightly with a compost tea or a liquid organic fertilizer such as Earth Juice. This should be all the fertility you will need to produce a nice crop of greens. As long as you are careful about watering, you don't necessarily need a container with drainage holes, but be careful to maintain consistent soil moisture without overwatering, especially when the plants are small. To save time and effort in getting the seeds to germinate you can cover the container with a piece of glass or clear plastic to keep the moisture in.

The best place to grow your winter greens will be in the sunniest window in your house. As the sun will be low and the greens will lean towards it, turn the pots around every few days once they begin to produce. If your greens seem excessively "leggy," or too tall and spindly, you may need to add some supplemental light for a few hours each day. If you choose to use a grow light, place it close to the plants, within a foot or so, for the greatest effect. If possible, place your containers outside when the weather is nice. The plants will become stronger and more vigorous.

Once the seeds have sprouted, let the fun begin. Since you have sown heavily, you can start harvesting microgreens as soon as the canopy starts to fill in. Keep thinning and harvesting this way, creating space for the plants to thrive, until you have a few large plants left. You can then harvest those for a final stir-fry. Once you get your first batch underway and the harvest has begun, you'll want to start another batch. If you space your planting about every three weeks or so you'll have a steady supply to get you through until the spring garden is producing.

The best varieties for indoor salad are obviously the fastest growing ones that you like to eat. I tend towards the milder mustards such as komatsuna, taisai, bau sin, and mizuna, and grow lettuces in a separate container as they tend to grow a little slower. Of course, you can grow in your container garden pretty much any salad green that you can grow outside. A pack of mesclun salad or spicy mesclun might be all you need to get on your way towards a green winter.

Scott Vlaun
Editor

Photo captions: (1) Salad greens brighten a sunny window and winter meals.