apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

well, the picture with this post nicely displays my question: how am I going to make this pot of basil on my kitchen window sill actually survive and thrive for as long as possible? Yes, pinch back, I know that, but how often? how much is too much? Is there a limited lifespan on my plant(s)?

Is it true that mothballs will keep squirrels out of window boxes? I've read a lot about this and asked at several gardening centers in my area, but people seem unsure.

Much like FromtheFuture's comment, I'd like tips also on how to raise and care for specific herbs. I've planted basil, thyme, rosemary and mint this year and I'm hoping they will thrive.

I want to plant the exact same herbs as ctd, but I only get dappled sunlight. I fear that my herbs are doomed to die. Can plants like basil survive in the shade?

How long does it usually take for Basil to grow back after a harvest? Mine is about the size in the picture and I'd love to start using it! How big should the plant be before i start cooking with it's glory?

I second all of the above questions on herbs. I planted my first pots last weekend, after leaving the seedlings inside for a bit too long, and I'm hoping they bounce back. But I don't know when, and how, to cut from them!

i have a basil plant on my indoor windowsill. i started plucking off the leaves when it was the size of the one in the photo and it is thriving. right after i plucked them off, last week, it looked sort of pathetic, but now it looks fantastic! i love how quickly it replenishes itself. cooking with fresh basil really is so different than dried. and this way i don't feel like i have to use a large amount at once before it goes bad, like with buying a bunch of fresh basil.

http://threadtrace.wordpress.com

I bought a pot of tiny lemon grass seedlings. Now what do I do with it? (Aside from keeping the cat away from it. If it looks like grass, he eats it!)

I'll be keeping a close watch on this. As an avid gardener, garden blogger, and beginning-stage urban homesteader, I'm sure there will be lots to learn and share!

For those interested, here is a full list of what I'm growing from seed (not including things I buy starts for) in my edible garden this year.

I'm also re-creating one of my backyard flower beds into a natives garden, and totally re-doing my bog garden. Whee!

Does anyone know where to buy - either local or online - traditional French Fraise plants?

Thanks

I wonder how to rotate crops, and even keep up with the seasons, in a small garden. I have a few small beds that I make the most of with a lot of vertical trellising, but right now my peas are just coming to fruition and they're in the spot that my tomatoes will occupy later in the season (the only spot in the garden sunny enough for them to ripen) . . . only I feel like I'm behind in getting the tomato seedlings in the ground. Any suggestions?

swirlingnotions (aka Lia)

Can I just cry out "NOT FAIR!!!."

It may snow here this weekend. I'm not planting anything for another 3 weeks. Can we make June "Garden Month at the Kitchen for those in the North"?

How about tips for the urban dwellers who have no plot of land to call their own, only a windowsill (and i'm talking windowsill here, not even a windowbox is feasible). What can *I* grow, other than the pot of basil, mint (hello summer mojitos!), and sage i've got going?

ditto to all the herb questions above, plus the crop rotation question.

i'd also be interested in learning about what veggie plants can be grown in containers with decent results. i have limited space for planting in the ground, but really want to grow more of my own veggies.

i put out my lettuce, string beans, tomatoes, chiles and herb garden, and i'm so excited!

michelle @ thursday night smackdown

Can I bring my herbs inside at the end of the summer and keep them going all year?

Kassie,
I know what you mean! There's no chance that I'll be planting anything outside in the next 3 weeks... we just got rid of the last of the snow. Oy!
But, to start the feeling of spring in my house, I planted some seeds about a month or so ago (maybe more?) and I've been enjoying their green as I wait for the grass to come back.

Just built my little 4x4 garden box a weekend or two ago, I got my first strawberries a few days ago! It's my first garden ever, I can't wait to see what else does well.

Hooray! We just finished our 4x4 garden a couple weeks ago and we already have tiny tomatoes and hot pepper buds! We've also eaten some of our basil and everything is just shooting up! Here are some pics and my blog

http://flickr.com/photos/lilkidthings/2430677549/

http://lilkidthings.blogspot.com/

I would love to hear about pointers for apartment/container gardening. Like, with no roof and no fire escape. Right now I have a pot of herbs hopefully getting enough sun on my kitchen table, but I'd love ideas for branching out and for what works well in this environment and what doesn't.

Front yard gardens!

Well, my husband and I finally finished spading (is that right?) a patch of our yard for our first in the ground garden. This is the first year we have a yard so I am very excited. In the back garden we have lots and lots of tomato plants (20, I think) of all different heirloom varieties. Also we planted sweet banana peppers . There is also a small patch of broccoli planted over a month ago that we had forgotten about but is flourishing all on its own. The one disappointment I have is that the sugar snap peas I planted about 4 weeks ago just now sprouted and I know the Tennessee summer here will kill them before they produce.Out front in a former flower bed, I have lots of herbs and some tiny grape tomatoes mixed in with some pansies. now, I still want to get a few pots of lettuce going on my porch (which is very cool and shaded) along with some radishes and more herbs on my windowsill.

i really admire everyone's ambitions. container gardening, indoor gardening--that is, with low light plants, and perhaps a great show feature, such as garden story [ for those of us without gardens. http://gardenstory.org/