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This plant is a Burpee container plant that we have neglected to transplant into a hanging basket. Since the plant started flowering and developing strawberries so quickly we thought it best to leave it alone.

Strawberries grown in the house under lights do equally well as strawberry plants in windowsill containers.

Strawberry Seeds

Strawberries can be grown from seed indoors year-round if you provide warmth and light. Growing strawberries from seed is more challenging, but think of all the plants and strawberries you could produce! Nothing beats fresh, home-grown strawberries. You can find an assortment of strawberry seeds here.

Strawberry Pots & Planters

If you prefer to grow strawberries on the deck or patio a strawberry pot or planter is an attractive and efficient method. Here are some planters made just for growing strawberries:

• Strawberry Jars
• Strawberry Pots
• Strawberry Planters and Grow Bags

This successful grow project has been fun and rewarding. We’ve got lots of peppers ripening and more and more flowers opening and being pollinated at the top of the canopy. When the plants run their course we will consider growing grape tomatoes (or currant tomatoes) in the AeroGarden.

The peppers are delicious, by the way

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DAY 90:

See also…

• AeroGardens and accessories
• Liquid hydroponics nutrients
• Pepper seeds

There are many varieties of strawberries, and three specific production habits to choose from:

“June-bearing” strawberries – these plants produce strawberries early in the season yielding a harvest through June and July

“Ever-bearing” strawberry plants produce fruit three times throughout the season (spring, summer and fall)

“Day-neutral” – plants yield strawberries all year long

Since we will be growing strawberries indoors we wanted ever-bearing strawberries or day-neutral, and settled on two varieties known for their excellent flavor, color, and easy care:

• “Quinault” ever-bearing
• “Eversweet” (everbearing>

Although we’ve always wanted to grow strawberries in strawberry pots or jars they just aren’t as conducive to indoor growing as is planting strawberries in hanging baskets or, as you’ll see here soon, growing strawberries indoors in a windowbox.

Where to Buy Strawberry Plants

In spring you’ll find strawberry plants at indoor garden centers and sometimes in the garden department of home improvement stores. If you can’t find locally the types or varieties of strawberries you’re interested in growing you might want to order online. Reputable sources to buy strawberry plants online in-season are:

• Nature Hills Nursery
• Burpee.com
• Amazon.com (various vendors)

Where to Buy a Strawberry Planter

If you are an outdoor gardener or prefer to grow on a patio or deck, strawberries do very well in lots of different kinds of containers. Quick links to planters made just for growing strawberries:

• Strawberry Pots
• Strawberry Planters and Grow Bags
• Strawberry Jars

Since the seeds came from market-bought peppers, we don’t know the growth habit of the plants: how tall they will grow, whether they will need to be pruned, staked or tied, or if they will produce peppers all season long, all year long, or all at once. What we do know, for sure, is that they are self-pollinating.

Who knew growing vegetables indoors could be so much fun?

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DAY 60:

Two months after planting seeds…	…we’ve got a good crop growing!
Many are the size of jalapenos…
Color should be developing soon

» Click to see the first AeroGarden bell pepper crop «

See also…

• AeroGarden indoor units and accessories
• Liquid hydroponic nutrients
• Pepper seeds

After years of starting and growing seedlings and plantlets in inert media such as perlite and vermiculite, we decided it was time to return to basics. We’ve been revisiting classic seed starting and propagation methods and supplies, and we’ll be sharing our experiences with you.

We started with the Jiffy® 7 peat pellet. These compressed peat discs have been a favorite of outdoor gardeners for years for their ease of use and convenience. The pellets expand when placed in water and grow into a small plug surrounded by bio-degradable netting with a pre-drilled hole for seeds. Gardeners can start seeds indoors under lights and then place the seedling plugs right into the ground when time to transplant after the last frost. Very clean, neat, and convenient.

Sucker of African Violet ‘Lemon Drop’

Jiffy pellets are also used in the Jiffy Windowsill Garden which can be used to start outdoor plants indoors or, as in our case, to grow indoor plants.

We soaked several peat pellets in a shallow dish filled with water for about 10 min. while preparing to groom a large African violet collection. With a plant sale on the horizon we wanted to salvage offshoots from several plants before giving them away. As each sucker was removed we simply placed it in the pre-drilled hole of the plug and labeled it. (If you use a windowsill garden you can place labels in the tray or affix a label to the side.)

We have found that offshoots started in Jiffy pellets root more quickly and develop a stronger root system than suckers placed in perlite or vermiculite. As a result of this experiment, we have decided to start all our seedlings in peat pellets before transplanting to our preferred inorganic media. We believe this will give the plants a better start and firmer root foundation.

Front: ‘Lollipop’, ‘Lemon Drop’ suckers, ‘Wee Be’
Middle: three ‘Mini Minx’ plants
Back: two ‘Mini Minx’ plants on wicks in perlite-vermiculite mix

Recommended Reading on Plant Propagation

American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques

Plant Propagator’s Bible

Greenhouse Gardener’s Companion: Growing Food & Flowers in Your Greenhouse or Sunspace

You may be interested in…

• Bio Dome propagator
• Grow lights
• Heat mats
• House plants & house plant seeds and bulbs
• Other seed starting supplies
• Internet specials
• Floral and Botanical Art

Indoor gardening for me slows down in Summer as plants and seedlings have been transplanted, given away, or culled. This is also the time of year to experiment.

Seeds from Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The average household is brimming with viable seeds that you can sow indoors. Avocado pits are easy to start and the plants will last as long as you can give them what they need. Coffee beans are easy to grow trees from, too, as are citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes). Coffee and citrus trees are not good choices for me since they like to be grown cool in full sun, a combination I can’t give them. But if you have a sun room, Florida room, cold frame or similar you may be able to do it depending upon where you live.

Some other things to try:

• plum pits
• peach pits
• apple seeds
• strawberry seeds
• banana seeds
• watermelon seeds
• red and green bell pepper seeds
• garlic
• pumpkin seeds
• sunflower seeds
• dried corn kernels / popcorn kernels

Of course, you should do a little research on the plants you decide to grow. Watermelons, cantelope and honeydew melons, and pumpkins are large growing vining plants that will eventually need to be planted outdoors. Banana trees grow very large and need lots of sun. Sunflowers grow very tall. Corn eventually belongs in a corn field. But all are fun to start indoors.

Seeds on the spice rack

Almost any fresh, uncooked, untreated, unprocessed herb seeds can be successfully planted. You probably have in your pantry:

• peppercorns
• anise seed
• celery seed
• coriander
• dill seed

Your pantry may vary depending upon how often you cook and what flavors you like to use. That’s just a short list to get you started. (Kids love growing experiments, too.)