skip to main content

Does anyone grow veggies indoors during winter?

17 years ago

i have some micro tom tomato seeds, was told green beans grow well indoors year long, peppers, leaf lettuces, can anyone tell me there experiences.thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

vera_eastern_wa
17 years ago
For me peppers don't do well indoors are far as producing unless you have a light setup. I just bring a few in to winter over and they will keep producing leaves but no flowers will appear until mid February when the day length is getting longer. I'll just bring in 2 Habenero this year.
I don't know about the rest, but I would assume they require long days to produce as well; therefore a proper light setup.

Vera
lblack61
17 years ago
Wish I knew the answer to this one because I'd like to do the same. I have a few things in containers that I'm thinking of bringing indoors to winter-over. If I could get them to produce fruit over the winter, that would be a plus.
Related Discussions
Anyone growing during winter in zones 6 and below?
Q
Comments (18)
Yes, no, yes, yes. Just kidding. You are correct in that I could keep my temps lower and they would all survive just fine. However...I want growth man! Growth!! I'm fighting all kinds of things growing these types of plants and weather is just one factor. I'm constantly told that I will not succeed. Well, so far, by going outside in summer and inside in winter, I've fruited grapefruit, orange, lemon, and mango. My miracle fruit is currently in bloom and I get lots of new growth in my current plant room. Oh yeah, I'm crowded and at the last year I can continue bringing them into the house. I'm out to prove the nay-sayers wrong. Besides, I enjoy the heck of this! Yes, mangosteens are very temperamental. I have one about 20" and had four seedlings that I lost. My fault. Even though our summers can be humid, they were not humid enough all the time. Once I kept the plant enclosed in plastic, it continued to improve. I had my first growth flush last month that tickled me to death! I just obtained a bunch of seeds that are just now out of the soil looking good. I put together one of those small, plastic covered greenhouses to put the seeds and main plant in. I have a little waterfall/fountain with fan and this keeps my humidity up pretty high...especially at night. I did the same for the miracle fruit. I was losing leaves at a good rate until I was able to get this enclosed as well. Now it is in bloom. So, heat, humidity humidity humidity...then add some more. No cherimoya or rambutan...yet. I do plan on getting rambutan and a couple of other "hard to gets" next year. I have an air-layered Sweetheart Lychee. It consistently puts out aborted, stunted leaves while in another flush may put out perfect leaves...retard of a plant I tell you! I have three seedling lychees, three sugar apples, and two tamarind(beautiful plants) all from seed acquired from Thailand. I also have a Kohala longan that is putting out flushes like crazy just now. Lots of other plants too. All my plants are in the rare tropical fruits category. This is why the questions concerning greenhouses and heating. I believe my wife and I have decided to put a greenhouse/sunroom attached to the back of the house. It will function first as a greenhouse, then if we ever move, could be converted quite easily to a sunroom. Looking at about 20'x28' so far with good height. Hopefully being attached to the home will provide some thermal mass from the house as well as providing some wind protection. We will probably go with very good insulated glass for this. I don't think it will cut down too much usable light. If I can get growth in a bedroom with one small window and a 1000W metal halide light, then the insulated glass should prove sufficient...least I hope. If anyone has any thoughts on this, please share them. Thanks! J
...See More
Does Anyone Grow Aroids Indoors (not Greenhouse)?
Q
Comments (7)
Of course! I have 3- 30 gallon pots with ALocasia "Purple Prince", Alocasia loweii Grandis, and Alocasia "Polly" that have been houseplants for many years...the Grandis almost 10 years! They have always been happy in the house, the occasional outbreak of mealies controlled by dishsoap and oil or Neem. These are large multi trunked plants. They have never been outdoor plants. I have a collection of Anthurium andreanums, about 12 off the top of my head, different cultivars, that live inside all the time. They bloom all the time. I have a huge 36" planter with a very large Monstera deliciosa that stays in by the dining room table year round. This plant is truly a "monster" no pun intended. Now, as of last month, I have a nice planter with Anthurium scandens hanging in my bathroom window, cuttings I took from my mother plant which is huge in a 20 gallon pot. Also some pothos (green and white variegated and green and yellow variegated) growing in the window. Also some huge pots of long trailing epiphytic jungle cacti sitting on the top ledge of my shower and trailing down about 4-5 ft on either side of the shower enclosure. Then I have three philos...a "Lemon Lime", an "Autumn" and a "Prince of Orange" that grow in the windows in the sunroom and den. These are year round houseplants. All do very well. I also maintain a very large sansevieria collection indoors year round.
...See More
Possible to grow during winter this?
Q
Comments (9)
CLori is correct that a greenhouse will only extend your season (plus give you more heat in the summer). It will only protect against a couple degrees of frost, and the lower light levels as Autumn days get shorter is going to be an issue anyway. DMForcier's point about the number of plants is good too -- unless you go with a very expensive indoor system you will only be growing a very limited number of plants indoors under lights. All that said, I grow under shop lights in the basement (4-4' fluorescent bulbs). It gives me a growing area of about 4" by 2', so pretty tiny really. And that has to accommodate peppers and any other plants I want to grow under lights, so in 6" pots I usually have 2 to 6 pots of peppers under there, but I suppose I could squeeze in up to 16 pots (6" diameter) if it was all peppers and they were crowded right up to each other. It's enough room to experiment, but doesn't begin to compare to a greenhouse as far as space goes. Plus you want short-growing peppers if you use fluorescent lights because you want the lights as close to as much of the plant as possible. Here's my current set-up. Maturing peppers in the back are "Matchbox" - started as seed in late Feb/early March and grown entirely under lights in the basement (I had other peppers outside this summer). The Matchbox will soon be picked, then the small peppers in the front row (some Thai and a few super-hot jolokia) will be potted up for my winter crop. (The Thai and jolokia were planted in late July, indoors).
...See More
Growing fava beans indoors during winter
Q
Comments (14)
I am about 100 miles NE of Rome at about 350m above sea level. Farmers grow the fava beans for cattle feed in nearby fields but for some reason I always get chocolate spot fungus that spoils the beans. Additionally a hard frost often breaks the main stem and I end up with a leafy fava bean bush that has a low yield. Using cloches might prevent both problems.
...See More
pitimpinai
17 years ago
Tiny Thai hot peppers do fine on windowsils. I don't know about other kinds of peppers. Kafir lime also does fine indoors. Jasmine will do fine in a room with bright sunlight. Oh, that's not veggie.
solana
17 years ago
I've dug and over-wintered Thai and Jalapeno peppers, some for 3 years. Similar experience to Vera's, though a west window with snow reflecting sunlight has worked well. I hand pollinate and get a few fruits.

Basil sown indoors in January Â technically not WSown, but sown in winter :) Â provides a welcome fresh taste long before it would survive outdoors.
vera_eastern_wa
17 years ago
Thai Hot's and Jalapenos were the first peppers I brought in to winter-over 3 years ago. They were in a southern window, but still didn't get flowering/fruiting until mid February early March :D
Chives do real well in the window if you have some. This is what I do to bring them in:
1. Dig up a clump of chives now.
2. Keep the pot outside until it has gone thru several hard frosts...you can even wait until snow. It will die back or look pretty sad! Your mimicking dormancy and then spring.
3. Bring the pot indoors; trim away the dead foliage and place in a good south or west facing window.
4. New shoots appear very shortly. When it gets about 10" tall you can start snipping. If it's pretty skimpy, trim back to 2" and it will come back fuller :D

You can also look in your cupboard for some garlic cloves...assuming you have a bulb that wasn't treated to prevent sprouting, you can stick a few cloves *papery outing removed* into a pot filled with potting mix and enjoy some garlic greens!

Vera
lblack61
16 years ago
Hmmm...did a search for growing veggies indoors in the winter...doesn't look like anyone's come up with anything else??
I really, really would like to have at least a minimal variety of homegrown veggies indoors (without having to invest in a greenhouse)!

Linda
dancinglemons
16 years ago
Linda,
You do not need a greenhouse but you will need some REALLY good lighting to grow fruiting veggies indoors. I grow romaine, chard and some herbs indoors with 6500K fluorescent lighting. 2 Shoplights with 2 48inch tubes per light hung low over the plants. I grow hydroponically indoors because you get faster results than with soil (IMO). This is my first year doing this. Next year when I can afford a REALLY high power light I will grow tomatoes and peppers indoors (hydro only). I purchased a small beginner hydro unit from a seller on eBay but when it came I realized I could make the exact same thing very easily and that is what I did. If you want to learn about grow lights try the link below - it is geared to hydro but the lighting section would be appropriate for soil as well. You can also do a GOOGLE search for growing veggies indoors under lights and read some of the info that comes up. The growing under lights forum on GW is not very active but you could try to get some info over there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Indoor lighting for growing veggies
lblack61
16 years ago
Thanks so much for the info :-)
When did you start your seeds? Can you keep me posted on the progress?

Linda

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS How to Grow Your Own Sweet Summer Crops

By Marianne Lipanovich

This guide will help any gardener get started on growing the freshest warm-season veggies and berries for summer

KITCHEN DESIGN The Cure for Houzz Envy: Kitchen Touches Anyone Can Do

By Becky Harris

Take your kitchen up a notch even if it will never reach top-of-the-line, with these cheap and easy decorating ideas

FARM YOUR YARD 10 Easy Edibles to Grow in Containers

By Marianne Lipanovich

These herbs, vegetables and fruits are just as happy in a pot as they are in the ground

HOUSEPLANTS How to Force Amaryllis Bulbs Indoors

By creative jewish mom.com

Enjoy vibrant red blossoms even as gardens turn snowy white, by teaching this hardy repeat performer to ignore the calendar

HERBS How to Grow Herbs Indoors

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Have a sunny window? Enjoy the flavor of fresh herbs year-round by growing them in the house

HOUSEPLANTS 10 Top Plants to Grow Indoors

Brighten a room and clean the air with a houseplant that cascades artfully, stretches toward the ceiling or looks great on a wall

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Squash

By Marianne Lipanovich

Almost foolproof and with cheerful flowers, squash comes in a wide range of varieties to plant in spring

EDIBLE GARDENS Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Kale

By Marianne Lipanovich

This leafy green superfood is also a superhero in the garden through fall chills and winter snow

HEALTHY HOME What to Know About Controlling Dust During Remodeling

By Mitchell Parker

You can't eliminate dust during construction, but there are ways to contain and remove as much of it as possible

FARM YOUR YARD How to Grow Vegetables in Containers

By Annie Thornton

Get glorious vegetables and fruits on your patio with a pro’s guidance — including his personal recipe for potting mix

Sponsored