Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Fruits to Grow This Summer

To me, there’s nothing better than eating watermelon on a hot summer day. The juice that drips down your chin is sublime, and for a moment you can almost forget any woes of the day. That’s probably why I love fruit so much: Their sweetness comforts me without making me feel guilty (can’t say the same after eating ice cream). In summer, fruit is at their peak, and there’s an overwhelming abundance of it that needs savoring.

• Blueberry seeds (preferably organic – Dwarf versions of this plant are best for indoor container gardens)
• 8 inch (or more) clay pot with drainage hole
• Organic potting soil (I got mine at Home Depot)
• A dish, saucer, or tray to place under pot (to capture any water leaked out of drainage hole)
• Sunny window (South, west, or east facing windows are best)

• Fill your 8 inch clay pot with your organic potting soil.
• Now add some seeds to your soil. I recommend no more than 1 seed per pot.
• Now cover the seeds with some more soil, about 1/2 inch deep (in other words, don’t bury them). Transfer the pot over to your chosen windowsill. Over the next few days, water by gently misting the soil, instead of with a watering can. Personally, I don’t even use a watering can: I use an upcycled glass bottle. It’s easier to water plants this way because there aren’t several watering holes (just one) so I have better control over my watering.
• Examine the soil after a few days, and look for sprouted seeds. If two sprouts appear to be growing from the same seed, cut away the weakest of the two with cuticle scissors. This will help the plant focus its energy for optimal growth.
• Watering: Once you have a sprout growing, you can use your watering can (or for me, my upcycled glass bottle – which I painted and made look all pretty by the way). Make sure you water around the sprout, not on it (sprouts are very fragile and you don’t want them bending in awkward ways!). Water ONLY when the soil at the top is dry to the touch. Blueberries really love water, so you might want to consider watering daily.
• Sunlight: Blueberries need at least 6 hours of sunlight. Essentially, that means don’t even bother moving them away from the windowsill. They love sun and heat!
• Harvesting: To harvest blueberries, simply pick them off the miniature bush once it’s mature. This will also encourage new growth.

• Tomato seeds (preferably organic and heirloom – cherry tomatoes are best for indoor container gardening)
• 12 inch clay pot with drainage hole
• Organic potting soil (I got mine at Home Depot)
• A dish, saucer, or tray to place under pot (to capture any water leaked out of drainage hole)
• A tomato stake or cage
• Sunny window (South, west, or east facing windows are best)

• Fill your 12 inch clay pot with your organic potting soil
• Now add some seeds to your soil. I recommend no more than 1 seed per pot, as tomatoes take up a lot of room.
• Now cover the seeds with some more soil, about 1/4 inches deep (in other words, don’t bury them). Transfer the pot over to your chosen windowsill. Over the next few days, water by gently misting the soil, instead of with a watering can.
• When the tomato seedling has sprouted and reached four inches tall, tie a stake to it or a tomato cage to it. This will help it from slumping over your clay pot. There are certain tomato varieties that may not require staking though, such as the Patio tomato, Pixie tomato, Tiny Tim tomato, Toy Boy tomato, Micro Tom tomato, Floragold tomato, Early Girl tomato, Stakeless tomato, and the Big Boy tomato. Look into these varities to see which is best for you if you’d prefer not to bother with staking.
• Watering: Once you see a sprout, now you can use your watering can (or for me, my upcycled glass bottle). Make sure you water around the sprout, not on it (sprouts are very fragile and you don’t want them bending in awkward ways!). Water ONLY when the soil at the top is dry to the touch.
• Sunlight: Tomatoes need at least 6 hours of sunlight. Essentially, that means don’t even bother moving them away from the windowsill. If you have a windowsill that doesn’t get that amount of sunlight, consider investing in grow lights.
• Harvesting: To harvest tomatoes, just pick off the ripest looking ones when the plant is mature.

• Raspberry seeds (preferably organic)
• 24 inch clay pot with a very good drainage hole (not ideal for those with an extremely small windowsill for gardening)
• Organic potting soil (I got mine at Home Depot)
• A dish, saucer, or tray to place under pot (to capture any water leaked out of drainage hole)
• Sunny window (South, west, or east facing windows are best)

1. Fill your 24 inch clay pot with your organic potting soil.
2. Now add some seeds to your soil. I would recommend no more than 1 or 2 seeds per pot. You could always thin the one that isn’t growing good or big enough.
3. Now cover the seeds with some more soil, about 1/2 inch deep (in other words, don’t bury them). Transfer the pot over to your chosen windowsill. Over the next few days, water by gently misting the soil, instead of with a watering can. Personally, I don’t even use a watering can: I use an upcycled glass bottle. It’s easier to water plants this way because there aren’t several watering holes (just one) so I have better control over my watering.
4. Watering: Once you start to see sprouts, now you can use your watering can (or for me, my upcycled glass bottle). Make sure you water around the sprouts, not on them (sprouts are very fragile and you don’t want them bending in awkward ways!). Water ONLY when the soil at the top is dry to the touch. Make sure the drainage in the pot is good, as thyme doesn’t take well to soggy roots. Never let it sit in water that’s been collected in the saucer, either.
5. Sunlight: Radishes needs at least 6 hours of sunlight. Essentially, that means don’t even bother moving them away from the windowsill. If you have a windowsill that doesn’t get that amount of sunlight, consider investing in grow lights.
6. Harvesting: To harvest raspberries, just pick them off the vine as soon as you see ripe ones on a mature plant. 

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Want more indoor container gardening? Check out the rest of the series here (this list will be updated):

Part 1 – Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Herbs to Grow This Spring

Part 2 – Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Spring Vegetables to Start Growing Now

Part 3 – Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Fruits to Grow This Spring

Part 4 – Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Summer Herbs to Grow

Part 5 – Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Vegetables to Grow This Summer

Part 6 – Indoor Container Gardening: 3 Fruits to Grow This Summer

This series has ended, but please feel free to leave your feedback in the comment section below. As always, thanks for joining me!

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