Indoor Gardening

Although there are many wonderful heirloom plant species, the fine antique of the plant world is the orchid. Most people fear that they will be unable to keep an orchid alive and they would never dream of bringing one into their home. However, many of these plants are surprisingly easy to care for.

Paphiopedilum orchids are a popular type of heirloom orchid. These orchids, which have been popular with plant enthusiasts for hundreds of years, have big, bold flowers. They are so colorful that when one of them is in bloom, it often is the only accessory needed in the room.

Another heirloom orchid you may want to take a look at is the cattleya orchid. This orchid has stalks with clusters of small flower blossoms. You can find yellow, pink, or simple white orchids, but even the plants that have flowers in quieter shades are striking plants. 

To care for your orchid, you will need an orchid potting mix, a clay pot, a tray, and enough small pebbles to fill your tray. Your orchid will probably come in a small plastic pot. It may also be a bare root plant, which means that the plant is not actually growing at the moment and its roots are not in potting mix. If your orchid is potted, remove it from the pot. Fill your clay pot with the orchid potting mix and then re-plant your orchid at the same depth that it was growing at before.

Water your orchid by putting it under room temperature running water for about two minutes. Be sure the oOrchid has time to drain thoroughly, as sitting in water is the fastest way to kill an orchid. Now, fill your tray with stones and place it in an area that does not receive direct sunlight. Place your orchid on the tray. Now, all you have to do is check your orchid once a week to see if the orchid mix has dried out. If so, water your orchid, just as you watered it when you transplanted it.

If orchids are just not your style, you may want to consider another type of plant antique, the flower bulb. Bulbs have been an important part of the garden world for several hundred years. These surprisingly hardy little plants can endure years of abandonment and neglect, only to continue to thrive and multiply. It is no wonder, then, that there are more and more heirloom bulbs being discovered every year.

Daffodils are one of the most prolific heirloom bulbs. In fact, the hard part about collecting daffodils is deciding which ones you want. You can choose the smaller true daffodils or the larger narcissus. Perhaps you want to collect bulbs with a certain petal shape or maybe you prefer to collect scented daffodils.

If you prefer to collect bulbs with a strong fragrance and brilliant color, take a look at hyacinths. These bulbs were extremely popular with the Victorians, but fell out of style for a while. Now, they are back in favor.

Once you decide which bulbs you are going to collect, it is time to plant your bulbs. Luckily, it is easy to plant these cheery spring bulbs. You will need a container, potting soil, and a cold spot to keep your bulbs during the winter months. Simply fill your container with potting soil, stopping about six inches from the top. Place your bulbs in the container, with the narrow end facing up. Then, fill the rest of the container with potting soil. Tuck your container into a cold area, such as an unheated shed or garage, for the winter. In early spring, bring your bulbs inside and stick them in a sunny window. Water the container regularly and watch your bulbs start to sprout. After they bloom, you should plant your bulbs out in the garden so that they can regain their strength. If you don't want to do so, you can discard the bulbs each year and buy new ones.

So, the next time you are shopping for antiques for your home, why not add a few of these antique plants, too?

Bring a Bit of Nature Indoors

The winter blues can be hard to handle if you are a nature lover. Why not bring a bit of nature indoors with a window garden? There are so many wonderful plants that thrive indoors and all you need to grow them is a sunny window sill. In fact, many houseplants don't even need full sun to thrive.

You may want to start by installing a plant hook or two for hanging plants. Some popular, easy to grow hanging plants are spider plants, Boston ferns and chenille plants. When you buy your plant, it will probably be in a plastic pot. You may want to transfer the plant to a slightly bigger, more decorative pot to give it a healthy start.

There are so many different houseplant varieties that you may have some trouble narrowing down your choices for windowsill plants.  Some easy care plants include African violets, peace lilies, and decorative ivy. African violets can have double flowers, rare colors, or variegated leaves. Some people fill every available window with African violets and they still don't own every variety. Peace lilies require indirect light and can have white or pale pink flowers. Ivy is frequently grown on a topiary frame for added interest.

While you are filling your window sill with plants, don't forget bulbs. When you use forced bulbs, you can make spring  arrive early, at least on your window sill. Good bulb varieties for forcing are daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths. To force your bulbs, you will need to chill them for a few months in a refrigerator or an unheated room. Then, plant your bulbs, place them in the window, and keep them watered. They should sprout in four to six weeks.

For a more exotic garden window, try some orchid varieties. Despite their difficult reputation, these plants are actually easy to care for. Phalaenopsis and paphiopedilum orchid varieties are the most commonly recommended orchids for beginners, but cattleya orchids are also fairly easy to grow. Phalaenopsis and paphiopedilum orchids have bold flowers and beginning orchid fanciers can usually get them to re-bloom. Cattleya orchids usually have small, delicate flowers and it is more difficult to get them to re-bloom.

To care for your orchids, you will need a clay pot, a potting mix made specifically for orchids, a tray, and pebbles. Re-pot your orchid in the clay pot in fresh potting mix. Run room temperature water over the orchid for about two minutes and then let the orchid drain. The most frequent cause of orchid death is standing water, so you want to be sure the excess water is gone before you put your orchid on the window sill. Place your tray on the window sill and cover the bottom of the tray with pebbles. Put the orchid on the tray. Once a week, check to see if the potting mix has dried out. If so, water the orchid just as you did when you transplanted it.  

If you have a black thumb when it comes to houseplants, you can still successfully grow plants inside your house. You just need to grow them in a terrarium. After all, to care for a terrarium, you basically need to neglect it.

To make a terrarium for your window, you will need a lidded container, such as a fish tank or a gallon sized pickle jar, sand, potting soil, and a few small tropical plants or ferns.  Fill the bottom of your container with three inches of sand. On top of the sand, pour a few inches of soil. Make a hollow in the soil for each plant you will be putting in the terrarium. Place each plant in the container and fill in the area around the plant with more potting soil. If the soil and sand were dry, you may need to add a few tablespoons of water to the terrarium. If the terrarium is properly balanced, you should never need to water it again. Put the lid on your container and put it in an area that does not receive direct sunlight. If you notice too much moisture building up in the terrarium, crack the lid for a few minutes too allow some of it to escape.

Once you have a few plants growing and blooming in your house, it will be a bit easier for you to wait for springtime to arrive.

Bring Back the Classics

Gardening has been an enjoyable and rewarding hobby for centuries. However, during the Victorian era, gardens and plants really came into their own. Many of the wonderful heirloom plants from this time period are overlooked as people look for the newest and best plants each year. Why not bring a few of these tried and true classics into your life?

While the Victorians filled entire conservatories with wonderful exotic plants, most of us have more limited gardening space. Luckily, there are plenty of lovely heirloom plants that can fit easily on a window sill. If your passion for plants outgrows your available space, you can always add a portable plant shelf to your window.

One lovely classic plant that has been popular for over a hundred years is the Boston fern. This evergreen foliage plant is easy to care for and is regaining popularity with today’s window gardeners. To grow a healthy Boston fern, you will need a window that receives some light but does not get direct sunlight. You will also need a sturdy plant hook, a decorative hanging pot that is an inch bigger than the pot your Boston fern came in, and some fresh potting soil.

Transfer your Boston fern to the new pot and fill in the area around the plant with your fresh potting soil. Then, firm the soil around the plant and water the plant thoroughly to remove any air pockets. Next, install the plant hook on your window frame. Be sure you follow manufacturer instructions, as a pot filled with damp dirt can be quite heavy and you don’t want the plant to come crashing down. Now, you are ready to hang your pot on the hook. To care for the plant, simply, water it when it is dry and be sure to rotate the hanging pot occasionally to help the Boston fern grow evenly.

Is the thought of cleaning up all the tiny leaves that a Boston fern sheds is a bit too much for you? If so, you may want to take a look at another classic hanging plant, the spider plant. These hardy plants are available with either solid green or green and white striped foliage. Keep these plants looking sleek by removing the runners and baby plants or let the babies keep growing to give your spider plants a more flowing and graceful appearance. You should transplant your spider plant before hanging it.

Another wonderful classic is the cactus. It is no wonder that these fascinating plants have been prized by collectors for many years. They come in so many shapes and sizes. Although one or two cactus plants look a bit lonely when they are perched on the window sill in tiny pots, a grouping of five or seven cactus is quite eye catching.  To make caring for your cactus simple, you can repot them into one big rectangular planter that runs the width of your windowsill. For the best results, use a potting mix formulated just for cactus plants. Just remember that, unlike other plants, cactus do not need frequent watering. In fact, over-watering is the most common cause of cactus death.

When you are looking for classic plants for your window sill, don’t overlook the simple African violet. This plant has velvety rounded leaves and the center is covered in a mound of small flowers. Through the years, African violet fanciers have developed many different hybrids, including plants with double flowers and plants with spotted foliage. Why not group five or so different African violet plants together on a window sill that gets little direct sunlight to create an old fashioned indoor flower garden that is easy to care for.

If your window sill can't hold any more flowers, you can always continue gardening directly outside your window with a window box filled with another wonderful classic plant, the geranium. Geraniums are grown as annuals in most parts of the United States, which means that they do not last through the cold winter months unless they are overwintered indoors. Geraniums come in many colors and scents, but the original bright red geranium is so bright and cheery that it is still a favorite for many gardeners.

Once you try a few of these classic plants, you may wonder why people get so excited about new varieties. After all, just like a classic Porsche, classic plants never go out of style.

Family Time and the Window Box

Most children enjoy watching new plants grow, but city living often means that they miss out on the gardening experience. However, even if you don't have a yard, you and your family can still garden together. You and your children can spend some fun family time together with a window box garden.

These window boxes can range from elaborate and expensive wrought iron models to a simple and very reasonably priced molded plastic box. Cedar or pine window boxes are popular choices. Fortunately, plants are quite happy in any of these boxes, so you can choose whichever one you like.

Once you decide on a window box, talk to your children about what they want to grow in their box. Perhaps they want colorful flowers. Maybe they'd prefer to grow fresh vegetables for the table. Spaghetti lovers may want to grow herbs, instead. If you have young children, you may want to buy bedding plants to start your window box, but older children should have the patience and understanding to enjoy growing their plants from seed.

For a flower filled window box, consider spring bulbs, pansies, petunias, dahlias, or geraniums. Be sure to add a few foliage plants, which are plants grown for their leaves, as well. Good foliage plants for window boxes include small hostas, Dusty Miller, and vinca. If you want to start your plants from seed, try moss rose, marigold, and nasturtium seeds.

To grow a vegetable garden in your window box, you may want to try cabbage, onions, or even a patio tomato plant. To grow vegetables from seed, try lettuce, carrots, and spinach. If you have a trellis in the window box, you can try growing peas or beans from seed.

For an herb window box, try parsley, chives, basil, and oregano plants. You can also easily grow parsley and basil from seed.

Of course, if you can't make up your mind, you can always try growing a few heads of lettuce and a parsley plant in the same window box, or you can put window boxes on all of your windows.

Once you decide which type of window box you want, you will need to prepare the box for planting. First, install the brackets for your window box. Be sure to follow the manufacturer instructions, since a box filled with damp dirt is quite heavy and you don't want the brackets to give way and send the box crashing to the ground. In fact, if you are installing the box on a first floor window, you may want to put your window box into place before you fill it. If you are putting the box on a higher window, you will probably want to set the box into place after you fill it, since you don't want your children to fall out the window while they are trying to plant their window box.

Now, it is time to fill your window box with dirt. You should use a good potting soil mix. Add water retaining crystals to the soil to be sure the plants do not dry out too rapidly. If you are starting your plants from seed, fill the box to about an inch from the brim. If you will be placing plants in the box, do not fill the box quite as full, as the plants' roots will take up some room. This way, you can fill in around the roots after the plants are in place, instead of having soil spilling over the edges of the window box.

If you are planting seeds, help your children carefully sprinkle them over the surface of the soil. Most seeds need a light covering of potting soil, sand or gravel over them before they sprout. Each plant packet should include instructions for how deeply to cover the seeds. Once the seeds are planted, gently water the soil's surface so that the seeds are not washed around. If you are planting a few varieties of seed, you may also want to label them so that you remember what they are when they sprout. Now, set the window box in place. Check the box each day to be sure it doesn't dry out. Don't forget to have your children check for that first magical seedling to appear.

If you are filling your window box with plants, carefully position them in the box and fill the spaces between their roots with soil. Gently firm the soil into place and water your plants well. Put the window box in place and wait for your first flower or vegetable to appear.

Once your children see the magic of growing plants, don't be surprised if they want to move to a house with a yard so that they can grow even more plants!

You and Your Geranium

Geraniums are such bright, colorful flowers that it is no wonder they are so popular. However, if you are new to the gardening world, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed when you try to decide which geranium to buy. If so, you may feel that learning how to care for your geranium is an insurmountable task. Luckily, geraniums are very easy to care for.

Before you purchase your geranium, you should consider why you want it. If you want a few flowers to perk up a flowerbed, the traditional geraniums with brick red blossoms are a great choice. In fact, these geraniums are also suitable for window boxes and other containers, as well. However, there are several better geranium choices for window boxes, like the hanging geranium, which was developed to drape gracefully over the edge of a window box or container. Double flowered varieties, geraniums with variegated leaves, and pink or white geraniums are also nice choices for jazzing up blah container gardens.

Perhaps you would rather your flowers were productive as well as pretty. If so, you may want to choose a geranium variety that is said to repel mosquitoes. If you like to make potpourri or just want to enjoy a scented garden, there are quite a few scented geraniums to choose from.

Despite their differences, all of these geraniums have several things in common. They are all also known as zonal geraniums or Pelargonium geraniums. They also all are sold as annuals, but are actually tender perennials, meaning that they could live for many years in a warm climate.

Before you bring a geranium home, take a close look at the plant. You will want to choose a short bushy plant instead of a tall, stringy one, even if the short one is not blooming. Shorter plants are healthier and will give you more flower blossoms in the long run. You will also need to check to be sure the plant is not root bound. If a lot of roots are growing out of the bottom of the pot, chances are that the plant is at least partially root bound, meaning the roots are starting to curl around each other because they can't reach out into fresh soil. You may also want to slide the plant out of the pot long enough to take a peek at the roots before you buy it. If the roots are wrapped around the plant and you can't even see the potting soil underneath them, then the plant is badly root bound and will not grow well.

Once you choose healthy geranium plants and bring them home, you should take the time to water them before planting them to be sure they get off to a good start. Then, carefully tip your geranium out of the pot. If it is slightly root bound, gently pull some of the roots from around each other so that they can start to grow out instead of in. Then, place the plant in your container or planting hole. Fill the area around your plant with soil, being careful not to mound the soil so high that you bury the plant's stem. Firmly press down on the soil around your geranium and then water your plant thoroughly to be sure that you do not leave any air pockets in the soil. Now, mulch the area around your geranium with two to four inches of mulch. Remember not to cover the plant's stem.  In fact, it is best to leave a small bare space of one to two inches around the geranium's stem to prevent the plant from becoming diseased.

As the growing season continues, you will need to occasionally feed your geranium with an all purpose plant food. In addition, you should take the time to pinch off faded blossoms. If you keep the faded blossoms pinched off, your geranium should flower right up until the first hard frost.
 
In fact, if your have room, you can pot your geraniums up in the fall and then bring them indoors for the winter, where they can keep right on blooming. They will need to sit on a sunny window sill to stay happy and healthy until spring.

If you don't have space on your window sill, try shaking the dirt off your geraniums' roots and hanging them upside down in a paper bag in your laundry room until spring. When the last hard frost is past, take them out, pot them up, and start watering them. Some of those withered, dead looking stems may just leaf out and begin a new growing season.

The New Garden is an Old Favorite

Suddenly, everywhere you turn, you see flowers in window boxes, pots, and other containers. It seems like everyone is gardening in their windows. This new garden fad is actually an old, well established gardening method that just wasn't very popular until recently in the United States. Window gardening is so simple and fun, that it is amazing that it took so long for it to become a hot gardening trend.

One reason for the popularity of window gardening today is that many people simply don't have yard space for gardening. More and more people are living in apartments, condos, and townhouses with little or no garden area. They use window gardening to bring a bit of nature into their lives.

Another reason window gardening is becoming the new way to garden is that large gardens simply take up too much time for busy people to maintain. As their lives become more stressful, these people look for ways to relax. Since there are few things as peaceful and tranquil as flowers, it is no surprise that stressed and tired people are turning to gardening in some form.

Before you create a window garden, you will need to decide how you want your garden to look. If you want to create a display with a formal but attractive appearance, you may want to select wrought iron window boxes with glass inserts or lightweight boxes that look like they are made from stone. For a more rustic appearance, take a look at cedar or pine window boxes. If you are on a tight budget, molded plastic boxes are an economical alternative to  pricier window boxes.

Once you decide on a window box style, you will need to prepare your window box for planting. You may want to install the box beneath your window before you add the additional weight of potting soil and plants, as a full window box can be a bit heavy. Once your window box is in place, you will need to fill it to approximately four inches from the top with a mixture of potting soil and water retaining crystals.

Now, you are ready to plant your window garden. Most people place flowering plants in their window boxes, such as geraniums, pansies, and petunias. For contrast, you should add a few foliage plants to your box. variegated Vinca, sweet potato vines, Dusty Miller, and Licorice Plant are all good choices.

For people who don't care for flowers, a few miniature evergreens may be the perfect window box plants. Dwarf Alberta Spruce have a nice triangular appearance, while Mugho Pines form rounded mounds. Both of these plants grow so slowly in window boxes that they shouldn't grow too large for five or so years. 

If you crave fresh vegetables, why not turn your window garden into your own miniature vegetable garden? You can start your garden from seeds or you can buy a six pack of starter plants. Ideal vegetables for a window box are lettuce, peppers, and onions. However, if you place a trellis in your box, you could also try a patio tomato or spring peas.

For people who love to cook, an herb window garden is a wonderful idea. Add chives, basil, parsley, and thyme to your window box and soon you will have fresh herbs for your recipes.

Once your plants are in place,  fill in around their roots with more of your potting soil mix. Press the soil firmly into place and water your window garden. Don't forget to add a layer of mulch to be sure your plants do not dry out too fast.

If you are afraid that a window box will make your home look too formal, you may want to try using other containers for your plants. One option is to paint several coffee cans in bright colors. Punch a few drainage holes in the bottom of each can and add top soil. Add a geranium to each can and line the cans up on a window sill to create a colorful display with a country feel. If you aren't a coffee drinker, you can substitute other items, such as cowboy boots, decorative tins, or wooden crates, for the coffee cans.

Once you have a window garden, don't be surprised if they start sprouting up in your neighbors' windows, too.

Plants and the History Behind Them

Plants have been around for hundreds of years. Long before men drove cars or had electricity,
they grew plants to be sure they had enough food in colder months. As man developed, he found
many other uses for plants, as well.

As man became more civilized and did not have to spend every waking moment simply trying to
survive, he had time to develop recreational pursuits. Surprisingly, one of these pursuits was
gardening. In fact, plants are a part of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Gardening continued to be a leisure activity throughout the centuries.

Asian cultures used plants to cure diseases for hundreds of years. Chinese medicine, especially,
relied heavily on plants and herbs. Of course, with their strong reverence for the beauty of nature,these cultures also grew plants for their beauty. Many of the popular plants we have in our gardens today are the product of Asian gardens, such as the peony and the Japanese maple. These gardeners began growing new plant varieties by selecting plants with characteristics they liked and crossing them with other plants. Of course, plants usually had to be useful as well as pretty. The peony, for example, had a lovely blossom, but it also was used as a treatment for insanity or to keep demons at bay.

In the Middle Ages, royalty had flowers in their gardens, but most people gardened to provide
food for their families. Churches and wealthy people grew herbs for healing. As people returned
from fighting in the Middle East, they brought spices and herbs to flavor foods with them. Soon,
these plants joined healing herbs in the garden.

As civilizations continued to progress, plants and gardens grew and flourished. During the
seventeen hundreds, the nobility became interested in creating extensive flower gardens. Marie
Antoinette fell in love with gardening and had botanical gardens and greenhouses built. She spent
much of her free time caring for exotic plants. Soon, members of her court followed in her
footsteps. Of course, French gardens were not so elaborate after the revolution, but plant lovers
in England were beginning to build gardens that would form the foundation for the gardening
craze of the Victorian era.

English gardens were formed to help display the wealth of the landowner and to provide a place
to entertain outdoors. The gardens were filled with roses and other flowers. Greenhouses and
conservatories were created to hold fascinating plant specimens from far away lands. Plant lovers
developed new strains of common plants, such as begonias and daffodils.

Soon, it was fashionable for the nobility to add ruins and follies to their gardens. Since they
needed a way to make these structures more interesting, they began to grow hedge plants in
patterns to create intricate mazes. Topiary plants also gained popularity. Most country estates
featured several animals shaped from boxwoods or other evergreen bushes.

In America, gardens were a bit more practical at first. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,
and other famous men were passionate farmers and Americans followed in their footsteps. Large
vegetable gardens were common, as were fruit orchards. Of course, Americans still grew flowers
and had greenhouses or conservatories, but most wealthy people either lived in cities and did not
have room for elaborate country estates or owned plantations and concentrated on growing cash
crops.

As the Industrial Revolution created wealthy men of leisure, gardening began to change. Some of
the amazing gardens that were begun during this time, such as DuPont's gardens at Wintethur,
actually still exist today. Elaborate fountains, massive plantings, and greenhouses filled with
exotic plants took the place of a few formal shrubs and rolling lawns.

Surprisingly enough, the use of healing plants was almost non-existent at this time, as people
began to rely on medications such as Penicillin. In fact, it is only recently that herbal medicine
has come back into favor. Now, more and more people are dedicating portions of their gardens to
healing herbs and plants.

In addition, people are buying more landscaping plants than ever. Many people are opting to stay
home and turn their houses into vacation retreats instead of taking cruises or going to resorts.
New and improved plant varieties are constantly being developed as plant nurseries work to fill
the demand for hardy, healthy shrubs and flowers.

So, if you decide to add a few plants to your house and yard, you will be continuing a tradition
that is hundreds of years old.

Return to Nature...in Small Scale

If you want to get back in touch with nature, but you are overwhelmed at the thought of filling your yard with massive, sweeping garden beds or you just feel as though there is no way you could ever handle gardening on a large scale, there is a simple solution. You can create a miniature garden in a container, instead.

It is no surprise that window gardening is rapidly increasing in popularity. After all, when you garden in a window box, you can keep your garden looking perfect without hiring a team of dedicated landscapers.

Since you can find a window box to fit any house style, you shouldn't have a problem finding one that complements your home's décor. These boxes range from simple pine boxes to fancy wrought iron models. As you look at the different window boxes available, don't forget to consider the depth of the box. Shallow window boxes dry out very quickly and are harder to maintain.

To plant your window box, you will need a good quality potting soil, water retaining crystals, a mulch material, such as dried moss, shredding wood chips, or pebbles, and, of course, plants. Almost any small plant can be grown in a window box. In fact, you can even grow slow growing shrubs in a window box. However, some plants do better than others in this contained environment.

The most popular type of window box is one that is filled with flowers. Some good choices are petunias, dahlias, marigolds, and geraniums. If your window box is in a shady area, try begonias or impatiens. Don't forget to add a few plants that have nice foliage, such as coleus, vinca, or sweet potato vine to fill out your window box.

For a fun and unique alternative to traditional window boxes, why not plant a cactus garden in your box? You can find such a wide variety of these amazing plants. For a successful cactus window box, you will need to use a potting soil created just for cactus plants and you will need to be careful that your plants do not get too much rain.  

If neither of these options is right for you, you may want to create a miniature Japanese garden, instead. Ideal plants for this type of garden are mugho pines, dwarf Alberta spruce, or Bonsai. Don't forget to add a few rocks and a miniature statue to complete the window garden's design.

For a simple window box that is filled with quiet beauty, you may want to consider a box filled with three to five liriope, hostas, or caladiums. You may also want to create a window box filled with lavender, thyme, or rosemary for a scented alternative.

Finally, don't forget about bulbs. You can create a window box that blooms through several seasons by planting snowdrops, daffodils, tulips, and day lilies in the same box. Look for repeat blooming day lilies to extend the blooming season.

Once you choose a theme for your window box, you are ready to start planting. Fill your window box with your potting soil mix to a point of about four inches below the top of the box. Then, arrange the plants in your window box. When you are satisfied with your design, fill in the space between your plants with more potting soil. Carefully press down the soil around your plants and then water them thoroughly. If you are planting cactus plants, do not over-water them. Now, you are ready to mulch your window box. Spread about an inch of your mulch material over the surface of the window box. This will help you keep the soil moist between watering sessions.

Your window box is ready to go. If you want to hang your box, be sure to install the brackets securely by following the manufacturer's instructions. These boxes can be quite heavy when they are full and a falling box can become a dangerous missile, especially when it is dropping several stories. Even if your box only falls a few feet, your plants or your window box could be damaged. 

Now, you can enjoy nature in your window box garden without being overwhelmed by a massive yard filled with flower beds that take hours of time to maintain.

There is Time to Garden

With the frantic pace of today's society, it is no wonder that many people feel that they just don't have enough time to garden. After all, gardening involves turning over a patch of earth, bags and bags of smelly manure and tons of mulch, not to mention an hour or two of daily weeding and watering, right? Well, actually, even the busiest person can find the time to garden on a small scale.

If you have been pining away at the thought of not having enough time to garden until you reach your golden years, why not create a garden in a window box? After all, window boxes can be installed and planted in just a few hours and they only require a few minutes of daily care.

Window boxes come in a wide range of materials and styles, so it is simple to find a window box that will look great with your home. If you have a rustic or country style home, you may want to buy a cedar or pine window box. For more formal homes, wrought iron window boxes or resin boxes that are made to look like expensive stone are ideal. If you are on a budget, take a look at molded plastic boxes. These boxes come in a variety of colors and can look quite nice, especially once they are overflowing with plants.

Once you choose a window box, you will need to install the brackets. Don't worry. This is a simple task that only should take ten to fifteen minutes. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions to be sure that your window box brackets are properly installed. After all, you certainly don't want your window box garden to suddenly fall to the ground because they weren't fastened right!
 
With the brackets in place, you can begin preparing your window box for planting. First, you will need to decide what type of plants you want to grow. If you long for a garden crammed with blossoms, then you probably want to fill your window box with flowering plants. If you want to enjoy fresh vegetables without breaking your budget, you may want to choose vegetable plants. For a person who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, a window box filled with herbs may be the best choice. Of course, if all you want is to see a bit of green, you can plant a few dwarf conifers, instead.

For a window box filled with flowers, try a few of these window box favorites. Geraniums have been a popular window box flower for centuries. Marigolds and petunias provide non stop summer bloom. Carnations, smaller dahlias, and pansies are also good window box choices. When you are buying your flowering plants, don't forget to add a few foliage plants for contrast. Foliage plants are plants that are grown for their leaves instead of their flowers. Some good choices are small hostas, Dusty Miller, and sweet potato vines.

If you want to grow vegetables, take a look at lettuce, cabbage, spinach, onions, carrots, patio tomatoes, peas, and bush beans. You may need to use a trellis to support your tomato plants.

There are many herbs that are ideal for a window box. Why not plant a themed herb window box? Oregano, basil and parsley are great choices for an Italian themed herb garden. Sage, thyme, and rosemary are perfect for chicken and fish lovers. If you would like to create potpourri, you may want to try lavender, lemon grass, and rosemary.

Finally, if you want a box filled with green, try mugho pines, dwarf Alberta spruce bushes, or liriope plants.

Once you choose your theme, it is time to fill your window box with plants. Mix a good quality potting mix with water retaining crystals. These crystals will prevent your plants from drying out too quickly and will make gardening in your window box even quicker and easier. Fill your window box  with potting soil, stopping several inches from the top. Carefully, place your plants in the box and fill in the empty space around the plants' roots. Then, tamp down the soil around each plant and water the plants thoroughly.

Position your window box in the brackets and get ready to enjoy your new garden. Isn't it wonderful that you actually do have time to garden, after all?

Window Gardening - A Hobby for the Hurried

Gardening can be a relaxing hobby. In fact, studies have shown that gardening reduces stress and even increases longevity. Unfortunately, traditional gardening consumes so much time that the people who need relaxation most rarely have time to garden. Luckily, there is an alternative for busy people, a window garden. Gardening in a window can be as simple as buying several potted plants and putting them on a windowsill. For people with just a bit more time on their hands, a window box offers more room for creativity.

To start a window box garden, you will need a nice deep window box that runs the width of your windowsill. You can find a box that blends with any decor, ranging from fancy wrought iron boxes with glass inserts to simple solid cedar boxes. Of course, the inexpensive shallower plastic window boxes will also work, but these boxes require more maintenance, since they will dry out much more quickly. While you are picking out your window box, don't forget to look for brackets so that you can hang the box to your window sill. You will also need a bag of potting soil, some type of mulch, such as small pebbles or dried moss, and water retaining crystals.

Before you begin planting your window box, you will need to install it securely. Remember, your window box may be fairly light right now, but once it is filled with moist soil, it will be much heavier and will need to be well supported. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to be sure the brackets are correctly installed and then lower your window box into place.

Once your window box is installed, you are ready to begin preparing the box for planting. If your potting mix is not pre-moistened, dampen it so it will not be so dusty to work with. Mix your potting soil with the water retaining crystals and fill the bottom of the window box with the mixture. Leave the top four inches of the window box unfilled so that you can place your plants in the box without making too much of a mess.

Now, it is time for the fun part, designing your window box garden. You will need to decide on a theme for your window box. Then you will need to select several plants that are not too big or invasive to plant in your box. If you are unsure about whether you can design your window box garden, try one of these simple planting themes.

If you love to cook, a culinary window box may be the ideal choice for you. For a standard sized window box, you will need to buy one parsley plant, one oregano or basil plant, and three chive plants. Position the plants so that you have one chive plant on each end and one chive plant directly in the middle.

If you enjoy flowers, you may want to change your window box several times a year. In late winter, plant a row of six to nine daffodil or tulip bulbs. Then, as soon as the bulbs are done blooming and the weather grows a bit warmer, remove the bulbs and plant three geraniums and two Dusty Miller or two vinca vines in the box.

Once you select your plants and place them in the box, carefully use the rest of your potting soil mixture to fill in the empty spaces around your plants. Be sure you do not cover the plant’s stems and leaves with the potting soil. They should be planted so that the new potting soil is even with the soil already on their roots. Gently press down the potting soil around each plant and then thoroughly water your window box. However, be careful not to add too much water. The soil should feel as wet as a sponge after excess water is squeezed out.

Finally, apply an even layer of your mulching material over the surface of the potting soil in your window box. The mulch should be approximately an inch thick. However, be sure you do not place the mulch directly against the plants’ stems. They need a bit of air around their stems to stay healthy.

Caring for your window box is simple. Just check the box two to three times a week to be sure you do not need to water it. The water retaining crystals should keep the potting soil from drying out too quickly.

Now, when you are feeling tired or stressed, you can pause for a few seconds to enjoy the natural beauty of your window box.