Novice to Use Sunroom for NEW year-round kitchen garden

11 years ago

Hello Everyone!

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.

The room 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.

I think at this point I will need to have auxillary lighting for winter months. I do want to have something that waters itself, as I usually err too far in one direction or another when it comes to watering. I don't want to use the room only for a garden - I would also like to have space for seating or reading a book (hypothetically).

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

Tomato (heirloom?)

Lettuce

Spinach

Bell peppers

Rosemary

Thyme

Basil

Cilantro

Other spices?

Oranges (dwarf)

Banana (probably not! haha)

Carrot

Celery

Chilis

Broccoli

Garlic

Onion

Asparagus

Peas

Edible flowers

Strawberry

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

winspiff
Original Author
11 years ago
Here's just another view if it helps visualize how and where to put things.

Thanks again!
marricgardens
11 years ago
I think that would be a great sunroom! Out of the plants listed you could grow all except, IMHO:
- the heirloom tomatoes because they get to tall. There are some nice patio types out there that would be better.
- the carrot, celery, Broccoli, Garlic,Onion, Asparagus, peas I would leave out in the garden. For celery why not grow lovage? It's an herb that tastes like celery. I use it the same as celery. Garlic chives and onion chives instead of garlic and onions. A lot of people grow dwarf bananas and oranges in their sun room, so why not try it? The rest of the things listed should do well for you. Good luck.
Related Discussions
Sunroom addition - what's your experience?
Q
Comments (35)
We added a 4 Seasons sunroom last summer. We took out the window in our dining room to the West and put in a french door to the sunroom. The window over my sink also looks out into the sunroom so we just took off the screen and open or close the window depending on whether or not the room is being heated/cooled. Works great as a pass thru or just to talk to family in the sunroom while I work in the kitchen. The sunroom is my happy place. It is 20 x 20 and not an inch too big. I moved my dining table out there and put in all the leaves so I can seat 8 easily. We added a couch with recliners on each end plus another recliner and a LCD 46" TV on the wall (plasma reflects more light than LCD). Another corner is my office with my Grandfather's secretary desk, my computer desk and a lateral file than looks like a beautiful wooden chest. And yes I have several big plants that just thrive out there. We installed a heat pump. It sometimes seems a little noisy but work OK. Full windows are on north and south with a sliding door on the north onto a deck. On the west we have a solid panel across the lower portion and the rest is glass up to trapazoids in the peak. We put a wooden beam down thru the center of the ceiling and covered it with oak beadboard. Beautiful! We added 2 ceiling fans that were a must. Each set of windows has one side that slides open so we can get wonderful breezes thru when we want to. We live in the country and enjoy every minute in our room. I have watched turkey right outside the window while I ate breakfast, as well as rabbits, geese, bluebirds, etc. Yes, I am in my sunroom right now!
...See More
how to arrange table and chairs in sunroom off kitchen
Q
Comments (15)
monablair - we would have to turn the table in order to open it up. On the other end we plan to have our stools under the penisula and plan to use it as you mentioned a place to mingle while I'm in the kitchen. I'm not sure if the space will be too cluttered, but were considering a small sitting area, maybe a storage bench similar to this or these sitting stools. http://www.potterybarn.com/products/tanner-stool/popup/more-views.html#hero-image http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Furniture/Furniture/tabid/519/CategoryID/157/List/0/catpagesize/0/Level/a/ProductID/3039/ProductName/Zahir-Storage-Bench/Default.aspx
...See More
Kitchen eating area is changing to sunroom!
Q
Comments (16)
Lisa- Thanks! I'm really excited about the table. Your kitchen is going to be amazing and a dining room that feel like a sunroom....what a great space! Stephan- That is so nice! My love of CL and thrift store finds is the key to staying on budget (LOL) so vintage is a perfect fit. Rebunky- Yes! Too much for the kitties, there will be no seedlings in sunroom. Especially on the floor...but that table is cute! Love the bunnies...and I think a little Peter Rabbit fabric and maybe a few planters may find their way into the remodel. Nothing too much, but just a little whimsy :) I don't know if I mentioned this (long week) but my SIL and her husband have very graciously donated their old cabinets for our kitchen remodel. They're white (which I like) but our uppers are wood....so we may be painting the uppers. My mom is ecstatic! So, I guess it's a good call, but we are keeping the wood trim and some detailing and will probably use the vinyl "wood" floor planks or tiles. (Shhhhh....don't tell Fori.) LOL But we will still have lots of colors, fabric and overall fun in the finished kitchen. And the dresser will have an even better location! More to come, later...I have to redo my little floor plan, but now it's back to gardening!
...See More
Moving kitchen to sunroom?
Q
Comments (18)
Are there zoning concerns about where you can add on? The housing stock/market in all areas is different, but we live in a 2200 sq ft townhouse, and two blocks away there are 4000 square foot homes for over a million, but it would not make sense to make our 2200 sq ft home a 4000 sq ft home; if we wanted 4000 sq ft it would be much cheaper to buy 4000 sq ft. So as part of our kitchen renovation we are both trying to achieve a modern functional kitchen, while also recognizing that part of the value of our house is being below the median price for our zip code. We are enclosing a covered porch and incorporating it in our kitchen. This is cheaper than new construction because it will use the existing footings and roof. However, that does not make it cheap. I would probably recommend some evaluation by an architect/contract/structural engineer regarding the current sunroom. Maybe you have already had this done and this is what you mean by "not a proper foundation". If you have to tear down the sunroom, does it make sense in terms of your lot to build on the side or the back? You could potentially build on the side and include a master bath as part of a side addition. I know that back additions are more common but i have also seen side additions that look nice and flow well if that works with the lot.
...See More
northerngurl
11 years ago
I am so jealous. How cold does that room get in the winter? That should be a consideration as well.
defrost49
11 years ago
This will be our first winter with a high tunnel but I expect only cold hardy plants will last all winter. Here are my comments on your list. Please keep in mind that I do NOT have experience with a sunroom.
Tomato (heirloom?)
Lettuce
Spinach
Bell peppers - I understand peppers are actually perennials
Rosemary - popular tender perennial but a challenge to winter over indoors because of low humidity in homes
Thyme - needs a winter dormancy
Basil - should be a fun project
Cilantro - I have trouble with cilantro. It always bolts in the spring. Right now, I have a nice little crop that has withstood a couple of 21 deg nights (I'm in NH) but it wasn't planted until late summer. I think it needs cooler temps.
Other spices? - saw some ginger from a local farm at the food coop. You might also consider lemon grass if you cook with it.
Oranges (dwarf) - I would check temperature requirements compared to other things you want to grow
Banana (probably not! haha) - Ditto
Carrot - Carrots are a biennial. I didn't plant any in my hight tunnel but probably should have.
Celery - no experience at all with this.
Chilis - same as peppers
Broccoli - should work
Garlic - I grow hardneck garlic. Plant in October for summer harvest. This may be another veg that needs a winter outdoors. You might look at garlic chives.
Onion - I don't have very good luck with onions while neighbors say they are easy. Check light requirements for bulbing. Suspect these would be tricky if you don't have enough light.
Asparagus - spring veggie. takes years to develop roots and needs to complete growing cycle as ferns to feed roots. Dont think it would be suitable as an indoor crop - would take up too much space.
Peas - might work but can't take hot temps
Edible flowers - calendulas are easy for me to grow.
Strawberry - not sure

I think basically you should group your list according to temperature and light requirements because right now I think it is too mixed. Keep in mind the low level of the sun in winter can cause it to get very warm near the glass but still wouldn't be enough daylight for some plants. I've read that my outdoor veggies in the high tunnel will go dormant when light levels are low in November - early March so I think you will have to have supplemental lighting.
Wish you luck with your project.
northerngurl
11 years ago
Currently from that list I am growing peppers, tomatoes, basil, thyme, and strawberries indoors. They are slow growers but I do have two mignonette strawberries and have started more seed. I will be starting a batch of cilantro shortly.

Novice to Use Sunroom for NEW year-round kitchen garden

Comments (5)

winspiff
Original Author

marricgardens

Related Discussions

northerngurl

defrost49

northerngurl

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Novice to Use Sunroom for NEW year-round kitchen garden

Comments (5)

winspiffOriginal Author

marricgardens

Related Discussions

northerngurl

defrost49

northerngurl

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

winspiff
Original Author