I had convinced myself it was okay not to garden this year with a wee babe due on planting day, but after I found the snap together square foot garden boxes at Sam’s Club, I’m thinking again.
I had also told myself not to bother trying to start seeds indoors again, since all previous attempts had flopped because of insufficient light. Then I got my Family Fun Magazine in the mail. They showed a child starting garden seeds in a plastic baseball card organizer. (If a child can do it…right?) He filled the pockets with seed starting mix and pushed a seed in the top of each one, then used suction cups to attach it to the sunniest window. Here’s a photo of one unfilled to help illustrate. Since they are pressed up right against the glass, low light isn’t much of a problem anymore.
)
I can see two possible problems here: 1. There are no drain holes to help prevent overwatering (but then I wouldn’t want them to drip down my window! and 2. What if the suction cups decide to let go? Ooh, that could get messy. I’m headed to Hobby Lobby with my coupon for card sleeves anyway. I’ll let you know how it goes.
This blogger uses ziploc bags to start her seeds and a commenter said she attaches her clear baggies to the window with suction cups too.
I hesitate to even show you these since they are so awesome, yet I can’t find them for sale anywhere. These containers are called, Windowherbs by Zodesign, and were designed so you could grow an entire herb garden indoors. I wonder how lettuce would do in them during the winter?
I am amazed at the great ideas people come up with. Simply amazed.
Angela, try just tomatos. start small then every year you learn more about your garden. I just give it also I small start. just a few weeks and baby arives? take some rest when you can.
Greatings Eveline!
That is NEAT! I could just imagine having those card things up all over the children’s bedroom windows! (high enough to keep babe out) And if it did fall, well then it’s a mess that can be cleaned, the satisfaction though, if they succeed, now that’s priceless!
OH! You have older kids that could help:)! And grass clippings will help with keeping the weeds from growing so fast. I plan to use cardbord this year to, to help with keeping the weeds down hopefully for the hole summer:)! And I love the windowherbs pot!!! Maybe it will be on sale after planting season!
In a traditional garden, grass clippings are great weed barriers. We found it worked even better if we put a thick layer of black and white newspaper under the grass clippings. This kept the grass from stealing nitrogen from the soil as it decompose. At the end of fall we tilled it all under and made a very rich soil. This year I’m hoping to move away from row gardening and see if it really is more efficient and less weedy to do it the squarefoot way.
I found an article on another blog that said the windowherb planters were not available stateside. Suggested a window aquarium that is available at Target instead.
Angela, at the Suburban Lawn and Garden Center in Martin City, MO, there is a huge bin full of all the returned black plant-pots, including the little multi-packs that would be perfect for starting seeds. And they are free. People could call around to their local garden shops before dropping in. Ask on Craig’s list if anyone has some to donate. I have a bunch in my barn that I now have a use for – thanks for the great ideas.