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Grow Fresh Greens Indoors This Winter

Grow Fresh Greens Indoors This Winter

By Nina Koziol

Growing Leafy Salad Greens

At my house we love eating fresh lettuce all year long. During winter, we grow loose-leaf varieties (not the “head” lettuce you see in a grocery store). Some favorites include Black-seeded Simpson, Flashy Trout Back (speckled red baby leaves) and Merlot (deep red leaves). When the plants are about 4 inches tall, harvest the top 3 inches. I cut as many leaves as needed for a plate of salad. Within a few days, the plants re-grow more leaves. You can grow spinach, mesclun and arugula the same way. The plants will continue producing for three months or so. By then, hopefully it’s time to grow outdoors.

Lettuce

When I run out of lettuce grown indoors, I purchase “whole” heads of leaf lettuce. I remove the roots and plant them in potting mix where they’ll continue to produce leaves. Photo by Nina Koziol

The container that held the heads of lettuce becomes a mini greenhouse for the replanted roots. Moistened soil-less potting mix gets the new lettuce plants off to a good start. The container can go near a sunny window or under fluorescent lights. Photos by Nina Koziol

Including Herbs in the Indoor Garden

If you previously used dried herbs, you’ll love having fresh leaves and stems that are grown on a windowsill or under a kitchen cabinet(fitted with a light, of course). Most herbs need 6 hours of direct sunlight or 12 to 14 hours of supplemental light.

Many food stores sell pots of herbs, such as rosemary, mint and thyme, that do very well indoors. Further, you can grow basil, parsley, cilantro and chives from seed. Sow only a few seeds at a time — one seed packet goes a long way.

All herbs need good drainage. Snipping leaves and stems from the top of the plant will keep them stocky and encourages the plant to produce more stems. I group my herbs together in order to create their own little micro-climate because the indoor air can be dry in winter. Bon appétit!