Growing It Indoors: From Houseplants to Lettuce Under Lights (original) (raw)

Every year I tell myself that I'm going to start my garden earlier to maximize my growing season by planning my space more carefully and utilizing succession planting. And every year I get excited while it's still winter and then burn myself out a little and before I know it time has dribbled away and it's time to get the main summer plants in the pots. This year I managed to get a little bit of a head start, but even then the winter here in the mid-west was so mild that it segued into spring really early (even edging into summer in mid-March with temperatures soaring up near 90 several days), so once again I got caught a little unprepared. I did managed to get some 'spring crops' in though (Packman broccoli, bok choy, some lettuce and Swiss Chard-though that'll go most of the summer). So I decided, what the hell, I'll plan for the fall and have a solid plan in place for next spring. I'll talk about the details of my own garden when I post my first pics in just a bit.

( I'll put this first part under a cut, both to save your screens and to separate it from the rest since it's taken directly from another source.Collapse )

The above lists are (for the most part) a little more unusual, to broaden your horizons. You can, of course, substitute your preferences. Here’s something I found with lists of more common vegetables and their general planting times/seasons:

Perennial Crops (that need a permanent home:
Asparagus, Rhubarb, Chives, Horseradish, Winter Onions

Crops that occupy the ground only the first part of the season:
Early Beets, Early Cabbage, Lettuce, Onion Sets, Peas, Radishes, Early Spinach, Mustard, Turnips

Crops that occupy the ground the major portion of the season:
Bush and Pole Beans, Lima Beans, Cabbage, Celery, Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Muskmelons, Okra, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Swiss Chard

Crops to be planted in July or later for fall and winter gardens:
Bush Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Endive, Kale, Kohlrabi, Radishes, Spinach, Turnips, Collards, Lettuce,

Another link that looked good: Succession Planting with Vegetables in Containers

And one more with a slide show and lovely pictures!

Would anyone be interested in ideas for 'theme' gardens in a pot (or group of small pots)? Like an herbal tea garden, an Asian or Mediterranean garden, etc?