A VOYAGE OF SHELF DISCOVERY

Location, location, location. It's as important to indoor gardening as it is to real estate. Choosing the placement for your plants within the space you have available is key to their longterm viability. Here are some basic factors you'll need to consider when choosing the ideal spot to grow in your home.

Solar Exposure

Plants need varying amounts of sunlight to grow, but generally, fruits and vegetables are full sun plants. Optimally, a southern facing window for those in the northern hemisphere (opposite in the southern hemisphere) will provide you with the most amount of sunlight throughout the day. If your options don't include a southern view, an eastern or western exposure will give you a half day of sun. A northern facing window will provide the least amount of natural sunlight for most of the year, but fear not. Recent improvements in LED technology make it easy to supplement with inexpensive and space-saving grow lights.

Temperature

While salad greens and carrots can weather cold temperatures well, young plants and other vegetables are much more sensitive. If you are considering a window sill, will your plants have enough space between them and the window pane to be insulated from the cold? One way to find out is to measure the temperature in your intended location. I try to keep my plants at 50 degrees F or higher. In the winter months, with frost on the windows, this can be challenging. I have found that the windows nearest to the heating unit for my home keep the plants at a more consistent temperature when things are chilly.

Proximity to Local Wildlife

Plants are no match for a curious toddler and may be an easy target for your pets as well. Beyond losing your crop, some plants can pose a danger to the critters we love.

While we may be able to eat the fruits of some plants, other parts of the same plants can be dangerous to touch or consume. I learned this the hard way during my older son's first slumber party after one of his friends gave an enthusiastic high five to my prickly pear cactus.

Further, dogs and cats are unable to digest some fruits and vegetables that we eat regularly. Here are some great resources to evaluate which may pose a threat to your creatures.

For Dogs

For Cats

Air Flow

Some plants, like tomatoes and gourds, require good airflow to pollinate when natural pollinators aren't present. In choosing where to house these types of plants, its good to consider where you get the best flow of air. An operable window is best, but you may also look for a room with a fan or a location close to an air duct in your home.

Ease of Access

Your plants are going to require daily care. With that in mind, its best to choose a spot you can readily access without having move any furniture, climb a ladder or otherwise have difficulty getting to. Also, consider that as careful as you may intend to be, the area immediately around your plants may unintentionally get splashed when watering. Try to keep plants away from possessions that may be sensitive to water.

Once you choose your location, capitalize on it. Group as many plants as you can into that spot. One way to accomplish this is using a nice tall shelf. You can also try suspending planters from the ceiling in front of your ideal window as well as using the sill space below.

Still can't decide on the best location in your home to grow? Then don't commit to just one. One of my favorite growing tricks is keeping my plants mobile. I recommend using a vegetable trug on wheels or a plant dolly on larger pots. It allows me to move the entire crop with the available sun during the day, to keep them away from cold windows at night and out of the way when we need the space back.