Before we begin, let me first say that I am not your typical green-fingered grower who picks lush tomatoes from her garden and harvests rows of rhubarb and competitive giant squashes. I squeal at the sight of slugs and confess to having thrown out a beautiful flowerpot after spotting some kind of movement in the compost. I also don't have the outdoor space to even consider becoming the next Monty Don. But as a lover of food, and not just any food but seasonal food that's grown for maximum flavour, I have succumbed to the joys of growing my own indoors. I love vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.
Most of my fruit and veg - peppers, pears, apples, spinach, tomatoes and many more - come from my organic veg box, the grocer (especially for plantains and scotch bonnet chillies) and local farm shops. But the very best microgreens, herbs and leafy greens I have ever enjoyed have been those that I have grown at home, indoors and on my windowsill - full of flavour, crunch and fragrance. With just a few tips and tricks even drab and sad herbs from the supermarket can be transformed.
While many of us live without outdoor space, growing crops indoors and on your windowsills is much easier than it seems. Growing your own food can also be rewarding, from the cost-saving benefits to the sense of pride in nurturing these living things from plant to plate.
From my slug-hating perspective, the best crops to grow indoors are herbs, and salad leaves such as lettuce and microgreens. I find herbs can take quite a long time to germinate from seed; some take a week or more and others much longer, and it's only months later before there are enough leaves available for you to start enjoying them frequently. I much prefer buying baby herb plants from good nurseries and nurturing them into well-established plants, then propagating them to flourish in multiple plant pots.
This story is from the June 2023 edition of BBC Gardeners World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2023 edition of BBC Gardeners World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Travel Ideas For Garden Lovers
Looking for green-fingered holiday inspiration? The GW team share recent destinations for garden getaways
Your wildlife month
December is a time for reflection in the garden. What worked for wildlife in 2023 and what didn't? How could you do more? Looking at the bones of the garden now, is there space for more plants? Are your fences bare? Are there enough berries and hips? You have until March to plant bare-root trees and shrubs. What would look good? What would better serve wildlife?
The Full Monty
I can, and occasionally do, manufacture jobs in a kind of gung-ho, boy-scout spirit
Expert's choice
Smaller variegated ivies still pack a big punch all year round, says Graham Rice
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
Frances Tophill explains what to cut back now, including grapevines and hardy shrubs
Hardwood cuttings
It's the zero-fuss way to make free new shrubs - just follow our guide from Nick Bailey
Hassle-free harvests
While veg-plot activities slow down in winter, there is still plenty to do, from planting fruit trees, and harvesting sprouts and salads to taking stock of your growing year so you can plan next year's crops, says Jack Wallington
The happy house plant guide
In the first of a seven-part series, Jane Perrone shares expert advice on how to give your house plants the best start to a long and healthy life in your home
The science of soil
Healthy soil is teeming with life - Becky Searle delves below the surface to explore how this fascinating system works and how it can benefit our plants
'It's like another lung - like having oxygen on tap. It makes you breathe in a different way'
Helen Maxwell's garden in rural Carmarthenshire surrounds the house that her husband (who's an architect) designed.