Some notes on kitchen window sill gardening.

When I was a kid, I had some small indoor gardens back in the temperate Western Pennsylvania. I tried growing Oranges and Avocados as I remember. So, about three months ago, I walked to the local public library and borrowed a couple of children's books on indoor gardening.

Avocados: after eating the edible part, save the large hard beige seed, stick three tooth picks in at 120 degree angles apart in the middle of the seed for support and halfway submerge the seed in a small jar of water. Keep the jar filled with water. After a couple of months or so, roots may appear (finally) and then a upper stalk with leaves. When the Avocado has leafed out, it should be planted in a larger pot with real dirt. If you live in a mild climate, it may be planted outside. On 20 July 2003, I transplanted the two Avocado seedings into the back yard after letting them adjust to the outdoors by sitting in partial shade for a couple of days.

Citrus fruits: save some seeds from Oranges, Grapefruits, Lemons or Tangerines. Plant them about a half an inch deep in low containers filled with garden dirt and keep moist. (I cut off the bottoms of half gallon plastic juice containers to about four inches high: they worked fine). After a couple of months, you may see some sprouts with oval-to-oblong-shaped shiny dark green leaves. These will be probably be the citrus plants. With my weedy backyard garden dirt, I had a thick collection of many of the local weeds: they always they first to sprout. One book recommended placing a plastic bag over the initially planted citrus seed container to help keep the soil moist. Either that or watch and water it daily. On 22 July 2003, I transplanted five of these citrus plants into the backyard garden. Now to see if they will bear some fruit in the next several years.

 

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Contact author James K. Sayre at sayresayre@yahoo.com. Author's Email: sayresayre@yahoo.com

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Web page last updated on 24 July 2003.