Strawberries are tough plants. They can grow in pots, containers, and in the ground. When grown in decorative pots, strawberries are also good indoor plants because their leaves are plump and the fruits are luscious. A potted strawberry plant with hanging fruits of different shades of red is such a refreshing sight to anyone coming in through your front door.

So how do you start growing your own strawberries? You find a nice pot first. Strawberry pots are a bit costly but they provide spaces or ‘holes’ for the plant runners, and they go with a dish to catch water drippings from the pot so these are appropriate for your indoor strawberry plants.

Strawberries need only 3 important things to survive:

• Sunlight. 6 to 8 hours of morning sun can make the strawberry plants healthy and happy. If your house faced east, you’d just place the strawberry pot just outside the front door. The plants will have some shade protection against direct sunlight, which strawberries hate.
• Good and rich soil. Good soil means clean and free from bacteria or pests. Mix good soil with compost fertilizer. Both homemade and commercial types are fine. You can also buy a bag of potting mix.
• Water. Strawberries need good drainage. Make sure the pot has an appropriate size of hole and that it is not clogged so that excess water will flow out freely. Strawberry fruits dislike getting wet because they will get ill with botrytis.

Now that you have a strawberry pot or two, you go to the local plant nursery and purchase the strawberry seedlings. Choose the hardy variety which give large-sized fruits. The potting mix and fertilizer are also available here.

Caring for your strawberry plants is not difficult. When watering, avoid wetting the plant, especially the fruits. Use a watering container with a long and small-mouthed spout.

Feed your plant with fertilizer every month. Let in some air into the soil by cultivating with a stick. Pull out weeds or any plant growing in the pot so that your strawberries will not have competition.

Birds like strawberries and are attracted by the red color. Put the strawberry pots under a tent made of net when you take them out in the morning to protect the fruits.

Strawberries do not mind when left outside during winter. They seem to fruit better after getting frosted. If their pots shattered, the strawberry plants can be repotted without fuss in the spring. Just remove the dead leaves and keep off moss or weeds.

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A small herb garden is a timely addition to your new lifestyle. By growing herb plants that you use in the kitchen, you will be saving money when you don’t have to buy these at the supermarket. You will just cut some foliage or stem off the herb plant to add taste to the food you cook. Your seasonings are fresh.

During winter, you can still plant herb plants on your windowsill. Choose the varieties that are sturdy enough to grow in pots and containers.

These are the materials you need:
Individual pot, 6 inches deep
Long container, 6 to 12 inches deep
No-soil potting mix
Seedling or young herb plants
Fertilizer

Follow these easy steps to plant your herb garden:
1.    Choose the windowsill that faces the south or southeast direction, or the window that gets 5 hours of sun every day.
2.    Fit the pots and containers on the windowsill.
3.    Purchase the young herb plants from nearby nursery in the morning. Also buy several bags of potting mix and some appropriate fertilizer. Choose the loose and light mixture for good drainage.
4.    Transfer each plant one at a time. Fill the pots and containers with mix up to 3 inches high. Cut the bottom of the seedling’s black bag and put in the right position.
5.    Add more mix around the plant and gently firm to give support. Leave enough space for watering.
6.    Herb plants dislike too much water. Be sure to put enough amount of water to avoid ‘drowning’ the plants.
7.    Sprinkle a recommended amount of fertilizer to the plants every month. Herbs are ready to use when new growth is visible. Cut foliage from plants often to encourage full and bushy growth.

What herb plant varieties to choose:
1.  Basil
2.  Chives
3.  Thyme
4.  Mint
5.  Parsley
6.  Lavender

If you didn’t have windows that get sunlight, fluorescent lights are good substitute. Position the lights 18 inches from the plants and keep on for 10 hours every day.

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