It's not just for toilets anymore!

**sfg4uKim** 10/16/2011, 10:22 am

I'm gonna try an indoor winter garden. Since Hurricane Irene ruined my garden, and the cleanup is just now getting underway (understandably it took the insurance company awhile to get here since I didn't have any structural damage) I thought this would be fun. I only wish I'd thought of it sooner.

It's not just for toilets anymore! Img_4910

It's not just for toilets anymore! Img_4910

I've used a cheap "over the toilet" shelf unit and $1 plastic shoe boxes (with drainage holes) to create a winter garden.

It's not just for toilets anymore! Img_4911

It's not just for toilets anymore! Img_4911

The lowest shelf comes just to the bottom of the window and is tucked behind an old "chest of drawers" that I use in the kitchen to hold my microwave & other small appliances. Below the bottom shelf is enough space for storage. Right now I have another cheap plastic box there that will be used as a "demonstration bed" when I teach classes - it fits 3 of the shoe boxes perfectly.

**sfg4uKim** 10/16/2011, 10:29 am

Forgot to mention that I'm using the shoe box lids as drip trays to catch any excess water from the drainage holes.

The shelves are just a bit short so that three across just doesn't work for the lids, so in the middle I just use a second (undrilled) shoe box.

It brings the chest of drawers out 13" from the wall, but we already had it pulled 8" out so that we could store things back there anyway. So it's really not taking TOO much more space out of my small kitchen.

**RoOsTeR** 10/16/2011, 10:55 am

Really great idea! What are you going to plant? Looking forward to seeing your results. I have been contemplating getting some type of herb garden going inside for the winter. Yours gives me inspiration. Very Happy

**sfg4uKim** 10/16/2011, 11:54 am

Well I've got to grow things that are kinda low, so I'm thinking mostly baby lettuces/greens, radishes, young beets, small carrots, herbs that can be trimmed, etc.

Just for fun, I am going to try snap peas that will cascade up and over the arch or over the side.

ALSO I hope that the insurance will come through and I can rebuild the greenhouse so that I can sort of use the indoor growing area then transplant them out there.

Of course it will be great to start transplants in late winter for use in a demo bed for teaching early spring classes.

Denese 10/16/2011, 3:13 pm

What direction is the window facing? I have a 5 ft. wide x 4 ft. high window in my living room that faces east, but I wasn't sure if there would be enough light to start seedlings in front of it. It gets lots of sun from sunrise till around noon. There's still light after that, but no direct sun. Will this work, or will I still need lights?

**sfg4uKim** 10/16/2011, 4:52 pm

Denese:

It faces southeast. A lot of lettuces & greens, radishes, etc. like shade and I think these will work well. Here are a couple of articles on shade-tolerant plants that might help. I just need to make sure they are "short" or can be "trimmed".

SHADE - Examiner

SHADE - Mother Earth

Hope this helps,
Kim

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