Window sills make ideal growing platforms, provided a few things are considered:
- Light
- Humidity
- Temperature
It takes a very brave plant to face the world on a south-facing sill, especially from late spring onwards when the sun is becoming strong. Only pot geraniums, of the pot plants I possess, are able to withstand the intense heat and low humidity; they are adapted to do this. Nevertheless, even these plants suffer in mid-summer - they too would prefer some shade during these days.
Conversely, few plants can tolerate the low winter light levels of a north-facing sill. I find this position ideally suited to cyclamens, especially in a cooler room. North-facing sills are better if they receive some morning and evening sun. This greatly increases their usefulness.
Both east and west-facing sills are good and will each accommodate a wide range of plants.
Turn the plants daily
The only problem with window sills is that the light is uni-directional, so plants always grow towards it. For this reason, they need turning either each or every other day to keep them growing upright. However, provided this is done, things are fine.
Humidity
Radiators positioned beneath windows should be turned down if we wish to grow plants near them because they lower humidity levels too much, thus drying the plants. Since plants develop stronger at lower temperatures, it might be best to turn off the radiator completely.
Temperature
In winter, it is important that delicate plants are not left too near to the glass when it is freezing outside. Leaving the curtains open is a big help here, since temperatures can drop rapidly after dark behind heavy curtains.
Window sills make ideal spots for small propagators, which can be used to get seeds and cuttings off to an early start. But it is necessary to watch out for the sun. Cover with fleece or half-thickness kitchen roll, so the plants get light but not heat.
No comments:
Post a Comment