Plants for the Perfect Houston, Texas Window Garden

Whether your garden is beginning to recover from the winter or beginning to drag a little from the summer, there are times when the Houston, Texas climate gets the best of even the most experienced gardener. A window garden is the perfect way to enjoy color and fragrance as you wait for your Houston, Texas garden to recover. Bromeliads, ferns, African Violets and herbs all do very well in a window garden. Be sure not to overwater your window garden, and to rotate each plant every few days so each side gets equal time in the sun. Get as creative as you like - use colored or textured pots in matching or complementary colors, and don't be afraid to add in non-plant touches such as rustic water cans, tiny birdhouses, or whatever strikes your fancy. For plants that will do very well in your Houston, Texas window garden, see below.

African Violets. African Violets do wonderfully in a window garden but don't put them in direct sunlight, which can scorch their leaves. If you have an east-facing window for your Houston, Texas indoor garden, African Violets will thrive there. They can tolerate temperatures up to 85 degrees, making them a terrific choice for Houston, Texas, even on those days your air conditioner doesn't seem to be quite keeping up. Only water them when their topsoil is dry, and be careful not to get their leaves wet when you do so. This is one window garden choice that does very well when watered from the bottom - just place them in a saucer and pour in water until they stop absorbing it. Fertilize your African Violets every time you water them.

Ferns. Maidenhair Ferns, Bird's Nest Ferns, and Button Ferns all make terrific choices for your Houston, Texas window garden. Keep their soil moist but not wet. Ferns need high humidity, so place the pot in a saucer filled with gravel and keep it wet. Most ferns do not like direct sunlight, so an eastern facing window garden is best for them. (Button Ferns don't mind the morning sunlight, and Bird's Nest can tolerate some direct Houston, Texas sunlight.) Fertilize them once a month.

Herbs. The herbs you can grow in your Houston, Texas window garden are almost limitless. Decide on the type of herbs you would like to grow - are you looking for color, fragrance, or use (cooking or just potpourri?) and go from there. Mint, lavender, and basil are just a few of the herbs you can choose from to grow in your Houston Texas, window garden. Lavender adds fragrance, and basil is terrific for sauces. Chives and parsley, which are both great for flavoring different foods, will also do very well in a window garden. Herbs do best when they can get between four and six hours of sunlight, and most do not like drafts.

Bromeliad. Bromeliads are a wonderful choice for your Houston, Texas window garden. They have beautiful green leaves and come in an array of lovely colors (red, yellow, white and pink, to name a few.) They will do best in east or west facing Houston, Texas windows, and should be watered directly into their stalk, rather than at the base. Put a few inches of small rocks in the bottom of the pot to keep them from being overwatered.

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