The mornings are a wee bit chilly here in Maine. 🙂 We haven’t had a hard frost yet, but it’s coming, that’s for sure. I think it’s safe to say that the oregano, chives I had growing in the garden are done for the year. They were my last holdouts.
Today the plan is to get the rest of the bulbs {about 1,500 of them} into the ground. It will feel SO GOOD to get that done. Then I’ll feel like I am done outside for the year.
Inside though is a different story. A few weeks ago I planted some lettuce, basil and cilantro under the grow lights in the living room.
I have the grow lights set up there because the space is still empty {we ordered furniture for that spot but now it won’t be here until March} and so basically, we look like a bunch of weirdos growing food in our living space. But who cares right?
Check out those lettuce greens! I think by the end of the week I should be able to have a nice big salad. 🙂
And I have basil and cilantro growing too. I started my seeds in some recycled cheesecake containers and so far they’re doing great.
I turn on the grow lights for an hour or two in the morning and then for a few more once the sun goes down so the plants are getting about 12 hours of light. Unless it’s an overcast day, we get a ton of natural light flooding into that room, plus, the woodstove is nearby so the plants are thriving.
I wrote a post about how to start seeds with grow lights a few years go if you’re interested.
But I think I want to try and grow something more that just herbs and lettuce this winter, I just haven’t figured out what yet. Maybe some peppers. How you tried growing peppers indoors all winter before? I think it might be kind of fun.
Well that’s all I’ve got for today. I better get out there and get those bulbs planted. 😉
Have a great day everyone.
~Mavis
P.S. Reader Kathleen left a comment yesterday to tell us that you save 35% off your Botanical Interests seed order with code EARLY35 at checkout. WOWZA! Now that’s some sweet savings!
Greta C says
Last year I grew hot peppers under grow lights started in Dec. From seeds that my daughter had saved. We were eating them way before I was even planting seedlings outside. I would say it was a success and will do it again, maybe. You can do it. Good luck. Keep us posted.
Mavis Butterfield says
Awesome! Thanks Greta!!
Susan H. says
My friend potted her peppers in a 5 gallon bucket last year. It was wintered over in a sunny hallway with no heat (here in Ohio!). She gave it to me. All I did was repot. Produced great. She picked peppers off of it in Feb. It was a pimento type with smaller peppers with thick flesh that turned a deep red.
Virginia says
I plan on trying to grow some herbs in the basement under grow lights this winter. I notice you have quite a few seedlings in the recycled containers, so I’m curious if you’re going to repot the seedlings in individual pots or just harvest from the containers? I’m a novice gardener and don’t know if repotting is always necessary. Apparently, I’m lazy too. 😉
Mavis Butterfield says
Nope, just harvest as I go. 🙂
Joely says
I’ve been growing jigsaw peppers under grow lights indoors. They are tiny but powerful! They produce pretty purple flowers and very interesting purple/green foliage.
Dee says
it is never a bad thing to grow your own food. and i’d love to be able to grow so much in my living room
Diane says
I had never thought of using plastic food containers for growing indoors. Basically, I’ve always considered them too flimsy. So glad to see you using them successfully.
Lana says
We have two hydroponic gardens going in our kitchen. We regularly cut fresh herbs while cooking meals. Our lettuce is just getting going and I am looking forward to that in a few weeks.
Lyra says
Constantly inspiring! I’m excited to get into my first ever home this year or early next, and I think it would be fun to have a giant indoor growing area. What a great look and so perfect for some freshness in the middle of a cold northern winter. Hopefully all the bulbs are safely ensconced and so are you! 😀
Jjscu2 says
How do
You keep Lucy from eating the greens off the floor?