does your desk have a flourescent light?

If I were in your situation I would grow some ornamental plants rather than vegetables. Nearly all vegetables require lots of sun, lots of soil and lots of space. While it might be possible to grow a small amount of something edible, it would probably not yield a satisfying quantity for the effort required. There is a wide selection of ornamentals however, which would grow in your room and would be quite nice to watch.

Normally I would not respond to a question by suggesting that the poster change his or her objective. This one is an exception.

Another solution for you would be to find an outdoor place to garden. There may be a community garden near you or a place where the college grounds keepers would allow you to garden. Or some faculty member or other resident of the town who is a gardening enthusiast may help you. Talk with people about your desire to garden. Contact a garden club. Maybe, next year, start a campus garden club. Two colleges I attended had places for vegetable gardens and I took advantage of the opportunity.

Jim

My desk does not have a flourescent light, but the room and bathroom do.

I am currently experimenting with some green beans, cayenne peppers, and red bell peppers in the windowsill that have a lamp shining on them. The beans aren't doing well but the peppers are.

I will talk to the school but I highly doubt they would let me do anything there. It is an urban area and the school is so focused on keeping the grounds immaculate that the possibility of a dead tomato plant would just horrify them. I go to a tech school so there is not an already existing club here for gardening. I'm not really outgoing enough to start one, nor do I have the time to devote to a club.

If vegetables are not too good of an option, what about herbs? I'm not too fond of the idea of growing flowers. If If something cannot be eaten, I don't really have any desire to grow it. I love to cook for people, and I want veggies so that the food I make can be even more home-made. :)

Herbs might do well for you. The fluorescent light in the bathroom is probably not going to be strong enough for anything edible, but in the window you might be able to grow some mint, lemon balm, chives. Even green onions might do ok. I grow mine in partial sun. Next time someone buys some green onions, tell them to save the bottom inch or two (the root end) for you and stick them in some potting mix. When the greens get to be about 8 inches tall you can start snipping them.

Do you have a friend in the dorm with a sunnier window? Maybe they'd let you use their window in exchange for some of the produce. :)

Salad greens require only 4-6 hours of light. I would go with loose leaf lettuce. Harvest the outer leaves. New leaves will grow from the middle.

To benefit from flourescent lighting, plants should be very close to the lamp, almost touching it.

Curly cress would be something good to try which may do OK in your window. Plant it thickly and harvest when 2 inches tall. It is a tasty salad ingredient.

You could try lettuce, mizuna or other salad greens as well. They won't do their best under low light, but they might do well enough to satisfy you.

Would you be interested in growing sprouts? There would be no problem growing them in your room and you could produce a useful quantity in just a few days. Google for instructions on growing sprouts.

Jim

What about asking for space on campus? Dorm roof? (Doubt it, but it doesn't hurt to ask!) Or somewhere in the biology building? Do you have campus gardens? Or is there somewhere near by that might let you container garden? A coffee house? Tea house?

What about herbs in a pot? Or growing flowers/houseplants that like shade so you get some gardening practice in and then see if you get more sun next term in a different room?

V.

I will look into all the things you guys mentioned. Thanks!

There is a cafe that Wanny (the owner) would love it if somewhere to plant things at, but the place have even worse lighting than here. The front of the shop is very sunny but there is nowhere to put plants that they would be accessible for watering without being in the way. The 'backyard' of the cafe that would be wonderful if it got more than an hour of sunlight per day.

I could not find someone this semester because we are all placed into the Laurel Extension which has the same type of lighting in each room. I should be in a west-south-west facing room during the fall, so that might be better light-wise.

There is no way the school would let me use any area on campus which can be seen by anyone. The top of a building might be an option, but they'd probably say no due to safety issues. (The school is very focused on having immaculate grass. Digging up their would be a crime worthy of beheading. They seriously dug up 75% of the trees on campus because they made the grass look bad.) There is no bio building or campus garden.

And no on the flowers thing. I sort of hate flowers.

If I were to get a grow lamp, would this be a more feasible attempt? Would veggies be possible with one, if I gave them a lot of space? How deep does the dirt need to be for veggies, anyway?

I grew chinese broccoli at my garden window(very sunny in February in MA) last year in a six cell container. I did get some cutting(not much). To my surprised when it was time to plant out I also get cutting from the same plant.

How deep does the dirt need to be for veggies, anyway?

Svenna,

That is a tough question to answer. It all depends on what you weant to grow.

Oops - hit the wrong button.

Anyway, different veggies required different soil depth. Obviously, root crops such as carrots, onions, parsnips, beets, radishes, etc...... will require deeper soil at they have taproots that need to dig to greater depths. OTOH, other veggies such as corn, lettuce, peas, etc... have more shallow root systems.

However, as you've read several times, all veggies require full sun, and a NNE facing window, as you've already surmised, is not going to provide sufficient light.

Have you though about herbs? I grew basil for many years in a northeast facing window, and it did great

Maybe ask a business if you could container garden on their porch or ask a close by homeowner to put a container garden on their property. You could offer them produce to repay their kindness or offer to weed their flower bed or mow their grass.

I am 46 and I was just thinking it would have been nice to garden when I was at college, but I went to school in NH and by the time veggies should be planted, the school year was over.

It is great you have gardening ambitions at such a young age!

I read tom thumb pea can be raised in a pot inside. I would bring it outside for real light from time to time though. I would take my desk light and point it right at the plant.

You might be able to get a full spectrum light bulb. Plus if you open up the window, the plant would get more real light.

as far as watering goes, I would water with an upside down pop bottle like in this link

Let us know what you end up doing

Maybe you could put an add in the local paper. like this:

College student looking for a small area of land to raise vegetables. I will share produce, or do yardwork as payment for the space.

I know about being a broke college student. Don't know exactly where you are going to school at but check and see if they have an Ag Dept. Aggies are almost always friendly. Check with you biology Proffesor you should have one there I would think. I never did the dorm life but it was amazing sometimes what some people got by with. If you want a CRAZY idea I have while reading this Have a negative verticle garden hang a cucumber vine out the window and go down to the next floor to pick it. Don't do it after $.25 draft night. Have fun, be safe and good Luck.

A few people have suggested asking someone around the area. That is not really possible due to the area where my school is located. It is Newark, NJ, which is notorious for its crime rates. The school is surrounded by some VERY unsafe projects.

I'm going to write down all of the things mentioned and go to the garden shop and see what they have. I'll go on craigslist and ebay to see if I can find a proper grow light.

A cucumber vine sounds fun but I am on the ground floor. (Unfortunately, I can't garden right outside my window. It is gated off and locked and my window can only be pushed open about an inch on the hinge, not enough to reach.) Would the ground floor be too low?

On a cheerful note, I am seeing buds, and even a flower on one of the cayenne pepper plants that I keep in the windowsill! I am going to make another post regarding that to ask for advice on maybe letting a few of the less healthy plants die.

svenna,

All you have to do for a grow light on a very simple basis is change the light bulb. I have seen grow lights that will fit in regular sockets.

Otherwise, you can get a clamp light and a grow light, cost can be under $20.

You also have nothing to lose by making a request in your area via freecycle.org. Someone like me might respond and just give you one for the asking.

:)

A few people have suggested asking someone around the area. That is not really possible due to the area where my school is located. It is Newark, NJ, which is notorious for its crime rates.

svenna,

I'm sure there are community gardens in Newark.

Call this radio station and ask for a copy of this broadcast they had titled "The âÂÂGreeningâ of a City �" A Greener Greater Newark on NJN" that aired Thursday, May 24 at 8:30 pm and Tuesday, May 29 at 6:30 pm.

If you're passionate about it, put the word out on Craigslist or other places and start working with anyone who will donate land to create a community garden. You might be surprised at a positive response.

Contact the Greater Newark Conservancy
303-9 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
Tel: 973.642.4646

Ask them if there is an existing community garden you might be able to participate in or if they have any information in helping you start one.

Here is an article from last year for community garden participants who entered the 16th Annual City Garden's Contest:

Here is a link that might be useful: Article Here

The best, most economical light setup is a 48" flourescent shop light purchased from a store such as Home Depot or Lowes. Don't bother with the expensive grow light tubes. Just buy the cheapest tubes. This setup should cost well under $20.

Set it up on blocks (piles of books?) on your table. Block things up so the plants are almost touching the lights. Run the lights 14 hours per day.

Incandescent, so called grow lights, are available but their light ouput is low and they cannot be placed close to the plants because of their heat output. I think they are marketed to people who are looking for the easy way out.

Jim

You can also check to see if you have a Habit for Humanity ReStore where they sell new and used donated building
supplies at reduced prices. In my town they have lots of lighting supplies. If you have garage/tag sales in your area, they're also a good opportunity to find shop lights. That's how I found mine and I see them all the time.

Svenna, I feel for you-while many houseplants will do ok under shoplights (I have orchids), there aren't many vegetables that will do well, other than lettuce & other leaf crops, & herbs. Most of the others need space & sun, heat & water.

Your best bet is to try & find someplace close by, that will let you put in some plants. Even then, you won't be able to watch it as closely as you'd like, people will mess w/ your plants, but even a hint of gardening will give you experience for more, & give you a bond w/ other gardeners-maybe you can find someone who would like some help w/ a garden that's too big for them to manage. Whatever you do, don't give up-grow something!

Another suggestion:

Graduate. And when you do, give top priority to living in a place where you can garden to your heart's content. Don't compromise on that.

This is known as "something to look forward to" or "delayed gratification". :-)

And another:

Transfer to an agriculture school, horticultural program, biology, botany or something of that sort where you will be involved with plants right away. Upon graduation you will be paid for doing what you like.

This is known as "career counseling". :-)

Jim

Ok, I haven't seen it suggested yet, and don't think me dorky... but my kid and I still like chia pets. What about that? Maybe you could get a collection going in the windowsill?

Or just rye grass seed in funky containers? If you paint faces on the pots then the rye grass can be done up in pony tails and things for wacky hair.

HTH!
V.

Grow Culantro.

What about sprouting things to eat?

V.

Here is a link that might be useful: Directions

Check out what your college has in the "environmental studies" areas!
Sonoma State University has a huge environmental studies area . Tons of organic gardens!
Also check out "containor gardening" and "Greenhouse gardening" You can make a greenhouse out of a porch or balcony with a couple of sheets of clear plastic!
Good luck! NT

Sprouts could be an answer; it is fun quick, clean and no need foe soil or light because you eat them soon

"...fun quick, clean and no need foe soil or light because you eat them soon."

And they are really good!

Jim

re Graduation: I'm working on it. ;) I'm a mechanical engineering student with a minor in math, but I'm planning to go into research. I'd like to work to develop systems that will run more effectively on alternative fuels. It'll fulfill my need to save the green things. Until then, I've got some plants. :)

re Community Gardens: That sounds promising, but I really do not have the time to go out and do that. I take an average of 18 credits per semester while also learning Swedish. (Going to Sweden for study abroad next Jan.) As much fun and joy as growing things gives me, I cannot devote that much time to finding somewhere here and going back and forth. I also just really do not feel safe at all leaving campus.

re Sprouts: I saw this the other night and it looked interesting so I hunted around in my little "mini-kitchen" (a little plastic thing with some shelves, a microwave, and a minifridge) and all I found was some popcorn. I only get the plain kind in the plastic bag that you have to put in a paper bag yourself. The package didn't say anything about them being pre-treated, so I looked up sprouts online and these should probably be done some time tomorrow if what I read was correct. I was rinsing them today and saw that they are growing tiny little things from the end of the seeds! That's so neat!

re Chia Pets: Chia pets sound fun too. While I couldn't eat them, if I were to find that they were not toxic to rats I could probably give them to my darling rat-girl when they are done growing. She loves to dig. :)

re Lights: I went to home depot and got a little setup for $12 that is a ballast and 2 48" flourescent lights. Each light is 40 watts, 3300 lumens, CRI 70, and 4100K. I am not sure if that will be sufficient for the current veggies, but even if it is not then it was not much money lost and I'll have an extra light in my room! I tried to set it up today but I do not have the proper hooks in the ceiling. Tomorrow I will get duct tape. ::maniacal grin::

Do you think that mushrooms would grow more easily in low light? In nature they grow in the forest, which is dark, right? I love portobellos...

I'm not sure how things will work out with these veggies, but by the end of the summer I am quite determined to have found a few things that I can grow here that aren't flowers. Because I hate flowers.

You can definitely try some herbs. They may not grow as well as they would outside (not as tall, not as bushy etc), I'm sure they would grow well enough to use. Try Basil, Several varieties of Mint. Thyme perhaps. Depends on the pots you get. Herbs would be nice in their own pots, and each Mint pretty much needs to be separated from everything else. The pots should be deep enough to let the roots grow. Basil for sandwhiches, pasta sauce, chicken, etc. Mint for tea, mojitos, desserts, iced teas etc.

Salad veggies was a good suggestion if you like salads. Spinach too maybe. Spinach would probably not need too deep a pot, but you'll want several plants to get a consistent crop.

Then with the chives, green onion, spinach and other salad greens and some herbs, all you need to buy is a salad dressing (you can use some herbs to make that too), and you have a quick and easy salad for lunch. Some leftover chicken pieces . . . mmm.

Another thing. Its always worth trying. Even if you don't think there's enough sunlight, you can try it anyways. If the peppers are doing ok, other plants might as well. I have hanging cherry tomatoes growing in my yard in a hanging basket. Trees have grown up and leafed out around it, and it doesn't get nearly as much sunlight as it should. They are growing a little slower than the vines in the garden, but are still growing and will produce tomatoes. Always give it a try, if you really want it. You could try a hanging basket with cherry tomatoes hanging out the window perhaps?

Do you think that mushrooms would grow more easily in low light?

Yes, but mushroom kits are not cheap. Depends on how much you want to spend.

Nice report, svenna.

Don't hang the shop light from the ceiling. If you do that you will have to suspend the plants up there too because they need to be close to the light. Instead, put the lamp on your table with something to hold it up just an inch or two above the plants.

The seeds normally used for chia pets are curly cress, which is edible. You may be able to find curly cress seeds at a garden store.

Jim

Oh, yeah. You are an M.E. student. In that case, you will understand the relationship of light brightness to distance from the light source. It's the inverse square law. So you see how important distance is.

CRI is color rendering index, where CRI 100 is daylight.
K is color temperature measured in degrees Kelvin.
And you know about lumens.

Jim

And just so you know, Texas A & M University's Experimental Research Station in Stephenville is doing a study on utilizing peanuts as a biofuel. It's a nice safe neighborhood too.

Pam