Oct 07 2008
The Windowsill Garden
Some cooks have to rely totally on a shallow windowsill to grow herbs in the kitchen. This seems to be the majority in most areas and, thank goodness, things have been developed that make it easier and neater. An arrangement of clay pots on the sill, with some small hanging pots in front of the window can be pleasing if the arrangement is well done.
A special planter box is another approach, but a tin liner should be used to preserve the box. The planting in the box will do better in their individual pots rather than planting directly in the planter, esspecially if it has no facility for drainage.
There are also gerb garden kits that can be neat and attractive. Clear plastic pots are used in some of the kits, which makes it possible to watch the root growth as well as the top growth. This is beneficial in letting the grower know when the plant is potbound. I especially like to watch the roots develop, and see the dirt looking very clean and as important as it should.
It looks much better through plastic that it does under my fingernails when they are loaded with dirt, which seems like all the time. That`s my only gripe about gardening and I can`t cut my fingernails short because I need them for pinching. And remember, the pinching nails that prune properly, are just important as the fingers that firm the soil around roots.