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Troubleshooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

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Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window GardenTroubleshooting in an indoor edible window garden is a topic I do not like to write about. Let’s just pretend everything grows without any challenges. In reality it is different though.

An indoor garden is an denatural environment. There is less light, no pollinators and no natural air movement. We have addressed most of it in our previous posts. The closer you can come to a natural environment, the less challenging the growing will be. However, since we can’t avoid everything, here are some tips for troubleshooting in an indoor edible window garden.

Pest control

Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

In an indoor environment, pests have no predators and will multiply rather quickly. Once you have them, you might have to learn to live with them.

Not all pests like all plants alike. Aphids prefer peppers, some herbs, and plants from the cabbage family. Red spiders like citrus and tropic plants.

To get rid of pests without aggressive chemicals is not that easy. Still, I would rather wash off some pests from the homegrown produce than eat harmful chemicals. Here are a few natural ways to deal with indoor pests on plants.

  • Check plants regularly. You want to prevent plants from getting insects in first place.
  • If you find an aphid or a fruit fly or any other pest, try to get rid of it simply by squeezing it with a finger. If there is only one or two and this is done regularly, it often gets rid of them completely.
  • If it is a fast-growing plant like lettuce and it has a pests invasion, replace the plant with a new one. It’s just not worth the trouble it could cause.
  • Wash the invasive plant with water. If possible, also separate the plant from other plants until it’s clean.
  • Use safe insecticides like Neem oil, Citrus Oil, Eucalyptus spray, homemade onion and garlic spray, Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) … Note, this would kill all insects, good and bad, so we are cautious when using them outdoors, but since there aren’t any beneficial insects indoors, they all can be used.

Bringing plants in from outdoors

Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

By bringing seedlings or mature plants in, unknowingly you might bring in some diseases or insects into your house as well. We don’t recommend doing that. It usually is not worth the problem you might be getting yourself into.

If you absolutely have to bring a plant in, wash it and replace, if possible, all the soil -or at least the top layer of the soil- with new soil.

We find that doing this earlier in the fall is better. It seems that insects try to hide in plants when weather gets cooler and they feel winter coming. By bringing in the plant before the weather changes, you can avoid to bring in unwanted insects.

Keep the plant in a separate room for a few days to see if there are any bugs or diseases that you don’t want to have. Only when you are sure that all is well should you bring it in to grow next to other edible plants in your indoor edible window garden.

Slow growth

Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

Indoor window gardening is not the same as outdoor gardening. Plants might grow very slowly and become leggy if they do not have enough light and/or the temperature in the room is too cold.

Add grow lights and check the temperature of the room and the soil. (See our blog post on temperature.) Also make sure to water the plants according to their needs. Do not over water. If a plant does not grow, it will also need much less water.

It can happen in the middle of winter that a plant stops growing altogether, but there is not much you could change. Just leave it, because as soon as the days get brighter and warmer, the indoor plant will take off.

Overgrowth

Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

It is tempting to plant many plants in one pot to get more out of it. Truth is, you usually will get less. Plants can become root bound very quickly and also start to compete for light.

In an indoor window garden you want to keep your plants compact. Prune your plants so that every leaf gets the most light possible. To let a plant just grow wild is not a very good idea outdoors, but indoors it will sure lead to a disaster.

Always remove leaves that do not get any light and/or look sickly. Keeping plant tidy and healthy is important in an indoor garden.

Flowers but no fruit

Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

In order to bear fruit, most plants need to be pollinated. Outdoors, insects and wind does that for you, but indoors you are the pollinator.

Plants that are pollinated by wind can just gently be shaken. Tomatoes and peppers are in this category.

Plants that are pollinated by bees can be hand pollinated with a soft brush or cotton swab. Cucumbers, squash and melons are in this category. You will need to find the male and the female flower to do that. The female flower always looks like it has already a small fruit. Touch the inside of each flower (male and female) to move the pollen around. There are greenhouse varieties that do not require pollination. Usually it’s labeled on a seed package if it needs a pollinator.

Keeping plants healthy is the key to good growth. Watch your indoor edible window garden closely to do troubleshooting as soon as you notice the smallest problem. This way it will never escalate for you and you will enjoy a beautiful garden.

This is the last post in the growing an indoor edible window garden series. We hope we could encourage you to grow food right in your house, basement or garage. We would love to hear what you are growing.

Make sure to subscribe and follow us on Facebook or Pinterest so you do not miss a thing.

More Indoor Gardening Posts You Might Enjoy:

Growing Microgreens and Baby Salad Greens

Growing Microgreens and Baby Salad Greens

Garden Update - Winter 2019 on video

GARDEN UPDATE – Winter 2019 ON VIDEO

N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique) Downspout Hydroponics

N.F.T. Downspout Hydroponics Setup

An Alternative to a Passive Solar Greenhouse - Indoor Window Garden

An Alternative to a Passive Solar Greenhouse – Indoor Window Garden

For starting seeds indoors you will need pots, good potting soil, seeds and a sunny window or grow lights. With Free Seed Starting Schedule Printable.

Starting Seeds Indoors (Free printable schedule)

Controlling aphids with No-Pest strips

Controlling aphids with No-Pest strips

Growing sprouts at home is the easiest way to grow nutritious food right in your kitchen. No green thumb is needed, as well as no soil, no grow lights, and no extra space. You can start today and become a gourmet sprout grower in less than a week.

Growing Sprouts at Home

Indoor Garden Update – Winter 2018 on Video

Indoor Garden Update – Winter 2018 on Video

Trouble-shooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

Troubleshooting in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

What to Grow in an Indoor Edible Window Garden. Over the years we have grown a whole lot of plants indoors at a window: Microgreens, herbs, Aloe Vera, strawberries, lettuce, winter greens like kale, root vegetables like carrots, winter vegetables like broccoli, summer vegetables like tomatoes and even water melons.

What to Grow in an Indoor Edible Window Garden

Temperature and humidity for an indoor edible window garden is important. You want to adjust what you grow to how warm or cool your room is.

Temperature for an indoor edible window garden

Additional light for an indoor edible window garden

Additional light for an indoor edible window garden

Growing an indoor edible window garden in water

Growing an indoor edible window garden in water

In this post wee talk about growing an indoor edible window garden in soil. Learn what soil and containers to use, how to water and fertilize an indoor garden.

Growing an indoor edible window garden in soil

Location is everything! Not every window is equally good for a window garden, let's see where to grow an edible window garden.

Where to grow an edible window garden

Edible Window Garden

How to Grow Tomatoes Indoors

How to Grow Tomatoes Indoors

Another indoor edible garden update. It was more successful for us than ever before, and we are sure it can get even better.

Indoor Edible Garden Update

In this video I take you on a tour to inspire you to be growing an indoor edible garden in the kitchen and food production garage. Hope you enjoy it.

Growing an Indoor Edible Garden – Video

The benefits and medicinal uses of Aloe Vera are almost endless, a real must have plant. Here is how to grow, plant, transplant, Aloe Vera in cold climate.

Growing Aloe Vera in Cold Climate

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Filed Under: Growing, Indoor Garden, Trouble Shooting Tagged With: Edible Window Garden, Indore Garden

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sheri says

    at

    My elderly neighbor called and said “Are you okay? I haven’t seen you!” I replied “It’s winter! I don’t garden in the winter!” It’s time for this old gal to rest, bake cookies and cuddle with books!

    Reply
    • Anna says

      at

      Funny, this happened to us last spring. Even though we do garden in the winter, just not outdoors. Enjoy your winter rest!

      Reply
  2. Sheryl says

    at

    I hand pollinate cukes and squash in the garden outside anyway. I get more fruit that way. It’s so easy!

    Reply
    • Anna says

      at

      This is something I need to look into more. Glad to hear it is easy to do.

      Reply

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