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winspiff

Novice to Use Sunroom for NEW year-round kitchen garden

winspiff
11 years ago

Hi Everyone,

I posted this to the regional forum but I think it should have been here. I really could use some help because I think some of the plants I'm interested in have different climate demands, so I may need to think about which ones I'd want in one location versus another.

I'm looking for a bit of advice on starting up a year-round edible garden in a sunroom. I have limited experience with planting (very good at killing plants) but a year-round garden is something I've wanted to do for some time.

Set-up:

- The primary room I'm considering and I think would work faces south and is L-shaped. The attached picture is of the bottom of the L. The southern window wall (bottom of the L) is 10'10". The western window portion is 5'7.5". Its depth, to the crook of the L, is 4'7".

- You cannot see it in the pictures, but the eastern wall (or the side of the L) is full of windows but has a door. The top of the L (northern direction) also has a door. The entire thing looks to be an addition to the outside of a brick home. It has electrical sockets and windows that will open.

Questions: I'm looking for some logistical advice at this point:

- I think at this point I will need to have auxillary lighting for winter months. I was thinking compact fluorescents, but want to try for fixtures that will look nice, too, if you have suggestions on fixtures, how many lights, etc.

- I do want to have something that waters itself if you can suggest a good idea based on the plants I'm looking at, as I usually err too far in one direction or another when it comes to watering.

- From a design standpoint, I want to use the room for more than a garden - I would also like to have space for seating or reading a book (hypothetically).

- What good self-maintaining planters/lighting units are available for window height?

- Even interior design ideas if you are so inclined!

Basically, I hope to draw upon your experience with what you've found would work well in this type of situation.

If it helps, I've brainstormed a "dream" list of plants I eat often. Not all of them may work themselves into the plan, but I want to try to fit in as many foods as I can:

I think these may require colder temperatures?

Tomato (heirloom?)

Lettuce

Spinach

Rosemary

Thyme

Basil

Carrot

Celery

Broccoli

Garlic

Onion

Asparagus

Peas

Edible flowers

Strawberry

I think these require more heat/humidity?

Oranges (dwarf)

Banana (super dwarf)

Not sure?

Chilis

Cilantro

Other spices?

Bell peppers

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