Many gardeners talk about how to grow parsley on a windowsill in winter. It grows beautifully in the garden, but whether it will work at home is a question.
Spicy grass is an unpretentious and cold-resistant crop. Grows on loose soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. It does not require special conditions (except for regular watering). And he supplies greens to the table regularly.
The summer season is ending. The gardener dreams of continuing to grow something on the windowsill. The conditions in the apartment are far from those on the streets.But parsley is a special plant. It produces a harvest on the windowsill no worse than in the garden. The gardener needs to put in some effort.
What varieties of parsley are suitable for the windowsill?
The indoor climate is different from the outdoor climate. It is influenced by:
- heating (increases air dryness);
- shading of window sills (illumination is reduced hundreds of times).
Wooden frames are found in older houses. They allow outside air to pass through, making the climate at home more suitable for parsley. Plastic double-glazed windows reduce the efficiency of growing spices in such home conditions.
Manufacturers are taking into account the interest of summer residents in vegetable gardens on window sills. They offer a whole line of seeds. Breeders label the bags with the words: “Balcony miracle.” This planting material allows you to obtain a parsley harvest in conditions of high dryness and low light.
Some gardeners prefer to plant early-ripening parsley on their windows. They explain this by the desire to receive marketable greens 7-10 days ahead of schedule. The following varieties show excellent results on the windowsill:
- Vorozheya;
- Morning freshness;
- Curly Sue;
- Emerald lace;
- Fragrant alley;
- Beads.
With proper agricultural technology, gardeners receive the first fresh greens 3 weeks after sowing. Parsley pleases with its harvest throughout the winter months.
Selecting a container and preparing the soil
Gardeners will have to grow commercial parsley in limited capacity. Under natural conditions, the root system of the spice takes nutrients and moisture from the soil. On the windowsill the conditions are different. The success of the entire enterprise depends on the choice of container and soil preparation.
Many gardeners grow a betta in a pot made of clay or plastic. Greenery prefers breathable soil.The pottery has pores and allows air to reach the roots. But the soil in it dries out faster: the frequency of watering increases.
In the apartment, gardeners want to have not only fresh parsley, but also beautiful window sills. When planting, plastic flowerpots are often used. They mask the flow of water.
Sometimes summer residents make a box for parsley from boards. It is impregnated with a moisture-resistant composition. Several holes are drilled in the bottom to drain excess water.
Parsley likes neutral or slightly acidic soil. Gardeners can easily compose the soil themselves. To do this you should take:
- mature compost - 1 part;
- turf soil - 1 part;
- sand with large fractions - 1 part;
- high-moor peat - 1 part.
Be sure to supplement the composition with a mineral complex. In the absence of components, ready-made soil for violets is suitable.
Self-composed soil mixture must be disinfected. The easiest way is to freeze for 5-7 days. Then the thawed soil should be poured with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Growing parsley from seeds
When planting on a windowsill, you should follow the sequence of actions:
- Place a 2-3 cm thick layer of expanded clay at the bottom of the container for drainage. If this is not available, it is recommended to take finely chopped ceramic tiles.
- Fill the container with soil. There should be 2 cm left to the top edge. Compact the soil.
- Make grooves at a distance of 2-3 cm from one another. Moisten with warm water (preferably with potassium humate).
- Scatter the seeds. Sprinkle a 0.5-1 cm layer of soil on top.
Parsley is a cold-resistant crop. For germination, a temperature above 4 degrees Celsius is enough. The container with the seeds should be placed on the windowsill. It is important to keep the top layer of soil moist before germination.. Planting pre-soaked seeds will speed up the emergence of seedlings.
Growing parsley from root vegetables
In winter, forcing greens from root crops on the windowsill is excellent. Those grown in the summer at the dacha or bought at the market are suitable. You should pay attention to the presence of a growing point: some sellers cut it off to preserve the freshness of the parsley. The length of the spine should be 5 cm and the thickness 2-3 cm.
You can plant root crops in the ground close to each other. You should definitely leave a growth point (upper part) on the surface. Moisten the soil.
Germination requires a temperature of 4-10 degrees Celsius. To do this, the plants should be taken out to a heated balcony or placed between glass frames (in old houses). After germination, the container must be placed on the windowsill and the temperature must be maintained at 15-20 degrees. Be sure to moisten the soil.
The advantage of the method: faster delivery of fresh herbs to the table. But there is also a drawback. Parsley is a biennial plant. When forced, it will try to throw out the peduncle. The quality of the cutting will decrease (the leaves will become rough and dry).
Aftercare
If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, parsley at home gives an excellent harvest of juicy greens. It's growing beautifully. Planting in limited containers on the windowsill is growing rapidly. In winter, gardeners have fresh aromatic spices for the table.
Temperature
For regular cutting, it is necessary to provide the parsley with an optimal temperature for growth. 15-20 degrees Celsius will provide greenery with a completely comfortable existence. When reduced to 8-10 degrees, the plant will slow down its growth. As the temperature increases, it will stop growing and shed its long-awaited foliage.
For very hot radiators, it is recommended to move the containers with plants close to the glass and isolate them from the source of hot air with a transparent screen.
Many gardeners set up winter gardens on their windowsills. There it is easy to create optimal temperature and humidity for parsley.
Watering
The plant will delight with fragrant greenery only if the soil moisture is normal. It should be watered when the top layer dries out. Water should flow into the pan. Do not dry out the soil too much: the parsley will turn yellow. If overwatered, the plant will rot.
When watering, it is recommended to use settled (to remove chlorine) water at room temperature. The plant should not experience stress when moistened. The watering can should be placed on the windowsill near containers with herbs.
Lighting
A sufficient amount of light is the key to a successful harvest on the windowsill. Parsley is a long-day plant. After germination, the agricultural lamp should be hung at a height of 50-60 cm from the soil surface. The plant needs to be provided with 16-18 hours of daylight.
Top dressing
Fertilizers applied during planting are usually enough for the entire period of plant growth on the windowsill. But when the parsley weakens, it should be fed. It is possible to determine the need for feeding by the leaves: yellow and weak ones indicate oppression of the crop.
It is recommended to apply the complex (nitrogen: potassium: phosphorus) only after cutting: eating greens is allowed no earlier than 2 weeks after fertilization. Watering dissolved in water gives good results. potassium humate (according to instructions manufacturer). Feed the plantings with special fertilizers along with watering.
Humidity
The heating is constantly on in the room in winter. The air becomes dry.Parsley loves moist air. Watering does not solve the problem: with excess water, the root system may rot.
Some gardeners try to normalize the situation by placing containers of water on the windowsill next to the plantings. When water vapor evaporates, it saturates the air. The plant feels more comfortable. When filling the bowls with snow or crushed ice, the temperature decreases. Melting the contents simultaneously humidifies the air.
Sometimes summer residents create a miniature winter garden for parsley. A round aquarium is placed on the windowsill. Its volume should completely accommodate the pot with the plant. Expanded clay is poured onto the bottom in a layer of 5-7 cm. It is moistened. Then place a container with greens. The neck of the aquarium is covered with glass. To allow fresh air to enter, it is slightly moved. In such an original garden it is very easy to control air humidity and temperature.
Dates of first shoots and harvest
Parsley on the windowsill develops in accordance with the quality of care. The first shoots appear faster when planting:
- root vegetables;
- seeds pre-soaked and treated in a growth stimulant.
The first cutting is carried out when the height of the stems is 12-15 cm. In this case, it is necessary to leave stumps of 2-3 cm: then the parsley grows thicker and healthier.
Do not plant too densely: green crops prefer free space. It is recommended to weed out excess plants. The distance between bushes when grown from seeds should be 3-5 cm. When forcing greens from root crops, it is reduced to 1-1.5 cm.
