Indoor gardening

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Permalink Reply by Nancy H on January 6, 2009 at 8:46pm

My son-in-law got an Aerogarden for Christmas and I'm anxious to see how that goes. They seem kind of pricey though. Has anyone tried them? I have a Meyer Lemon tree that has been blossoming like crazy, but I don't see any fruit coming after the blossoms drop off. Last year I had 2 lemons. Any tips??

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Permalink Reply by Kathryn on January 7, 2009 at 9:06am

İ saw the aerogarden website awhile ago they look great wouldnt mind one myself. İ also grew a Meyer lemon in subtropical conditions. İ won second prize at the local show with the lemons, they are lovely and large. The tree gave me 2 main flushes a year but usually was never without some fruit. İ never had problems with mine. How old is your tree?

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Permalink Reply by Nancy H on January 7, 2009 at 10:03am

Congratulations on your prize! My tree was shipped to me June 2007 and it was probably 1 year old then. I keep it outdoors during the summer but it's been indoors since October. It's in a south window.

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Permalink Reply by jacci on January 7, 2009 at 3:49am

Hullo, I know that feeling, waiting for the weather to get warmer.

Although it does not get that cold here in Cape Town, I wonder if this idea would help. We grow micro salads indoors on a sunny windowsill. I have wheatgrass, beetroots and winter salad leaves, they are harvested at the 'baby' stage as a pick and come again crop.

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Permalink Reply by Maya on January 7, 2009 at 9:03am

We are just planting salad mix, asian greens, and radishes. They will do well on a sunny windowsill with warm days and cool nights (in a slightly heated sunroom or mudroom, wherever there's space). If the leaves seem thin/weak, you can put them under fluorescent bulbs. Sometimes we also do green beans in a warmer window and let them climb up and around the window frame. The moisture in a sunny kitchen or bathroom is helpful, otherwise you should mist plants frequently. The plants will take longer to grow than they would out in the garden, especially now through mid-February, so make sure you don't use up the space where you normally start seeds or you'll end up with a conflict of interest! Let us know what you end up planting, and what works for you.

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Permalink Reply by Rob on January 7, 2009 at 12:57pm

I have some leftover salad mix and radish seeds. I'm going to give it a try.Thanks for the tip!

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Permalink Reply by ilex on January 7, 2009 at 9:30am

I'm growing a flower-box-full of spicy mesclun mix under my fluorescent seedling lights- Detroit winters are too dark and cloudy to be able to rely on sunshine through a window. They have been growing for about a month now and are growing well, but there is rather a hothouse wimpyness to them; even so, they are tasty. If I do it again, I'll aim an oscillating fan at them. I've read that air movement strengthens the cell walls and makes them hardier.

I know what you mean by spring fever- I already ordered some seeds a couple of days ago...

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on January 7, 2009 at 10:17am

I don't have a good window, nor much space in my "hovel" as I call my house, but I do manage to keep a bay tree alive in a large pot as well as a rosemary plant. If the wind calms down today, I am going to clean out a pot and plant some basil and thyme. It won't be long before I can start my 3-4 tomato plants. I find I kind of look forward to a break in the gardening season even though there's a bit of sadness when the first heavy frost hits. I guess it makes spring that much more precious and exciting. I've always busied myself with cellared root crops and cabbages over winter. Afterall, when else can one really appreciate parsnips?

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Permalink Reply by Chris Bocchino on January 8, 2009 at 4:21pm

This has to be the best thing about living in South Carolina, even in the foot hills where I live. my summer garden still has Broccolli, and Carrots growing, plus as an added bonus I planted Abruzzi Rye as a crop cover in my front yard garden so I have a wonderful green patch in my front lawn. I am beginning to get the "winter needs to be over already" attitude, so i think I am going to begin some inside spice pots since I cook almost everynight. I also have some tomato seeds left over so i might try them in a pot near my office window and see how they do. Chris

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