A hopeful introduction into home gardening...

Unfortunately for me, I know very little about gardening. But: I am determined to learn, and plan to plant my own extensive, brightly colored garden when I own a home a few light years from now. I've learned and preached so much about organic and locally-grown foods and have begun to buy them for my own eating pleasures, but this coming year I want to kick it up a notch.



This is a Windowsill Strawberry Garden from Clean Air Gardening (cleanairgardening.com). The website says: "Each kit includes a 13" galvanized windowsill tray, seed packets, potting soil and growing instructions. Just water the seedlings and leave them with plenty of indirect sunshine." Seems easy enough! I've also seen windowsill tomato gardens, along with strawberry, very commonly sold. Both on this website and in pharmacies like CVS the kits sell for about $10.

Just think about how amazing it would be that with so little effort, you could grow your own strawberries and tomatoes right on your windowsill, fresh and in abundance. Windowsill gardening is a one-time investment, too, and the fruits, veggies and herbs will just keep on coming. This is a vision I have for my own future, growing all the produce I love to eat right in my own home. That way you save money and have the advantage of knowing exactly where your food came from, and have a freshness guarantee!

And the notion of efficient gardening has been in the news lately.
Check out these roof gardens, or "green roofs":




EVEN MICHELLE OBAMA IS DOING IT! Go White House organic gardening!


I've been doing a lot of research on organic gardening (thanks, Planet Green!) and have a few resources you can use should you also have the itch like me:

1) 66 Things You Can Can Grow At Home: In Containers, Without a Garden
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/sixtysixthings-growhome-containers-withoutgarden.html
Did you know you can grow a whole variety of things right in your own home, including fruits like apples, cherries, bananas and even pineapple!; veggies like squash, carrots, cucumbers and a variety of leafy greens; herbs like paaaarsely, saaaaage, rosemaaaary and thyyyyyyme (shoutout to Simon & Garfunks there); and other healthy stuff like aloe vera and herbal tea? If you don't believe me, just click the link.

2) Your Complete Guide to Summer Vegetable Gardening
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/your-complete-guide-to-summer-vegetable-gardening.html

3) Top 35 Ways to Succeed at Organic Gardening
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/ways-succeed-organic-gardening.html
Includes tips about watering, pest control, lawncare, weeds and composting.