AGAINST THE GRAIN

West-Facing Windows

Living in a home with a west-facing window, you may have noticed very warm and sunny afternoons. Your window receives the strongest afternoon and evening sunlight, which can also lead to overheating. This can easily stress some plants, but many will still be able to thrive in your environment. As long as they are watered properly!
By choosing a plant in this orientation, you are picking heat-tolerant crops. However, you must monitor soil moisture closely, especially in the summer.

BASIL

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  • Light: Needs full sun (6 hours or more of direct sunlight.)
  • Season: Warm season crop.
  • Water: Keep soil consistently moist but avoid water logging. Water when the top layer of soil feels dry.
  • Plant size: Plant can grow 2 ft tall bushes.
  • Pot size: Minimum 6 inches wide with drainage holes.
  • Soil: Rich, loose, well-drained soil with dry balanced fertilizer.
  • Problems you may encounter:
    • Leggy growth: means the plant does not have access to enough light.
    • Yellow leaves: indicates you may have over-watered the plant.
  • Harvest:
    • Cut stems right above a set of leaves, this will encourage growth of bushes.
    • Always leave at least 2 pairs of leaves on a stem, and never remove more than 1/3 of the plant at once.

THYME

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  • Light: Needs full sun. Strong direct sunlight throughout the day.
  • Season: Warm and cool season crop.
  • Water: Let soil dry slightly between watering. Overwatering can cause the root to rot.
  • Plant size: Plant can grow 4-12 inch tall.
  • Pot size: Small pots are okay, as thyme prefers crowding.
  • Soil: Loamy, well-drained soil with neutral pH range.
  • Problems you may encounter:
    • The plant does not need frequent watering. Overwatering will lead to wet roots.
    • If it does not receive enough light the flavour will be weak.
  • Harvest: Ensure to continuously trim the woody stems, as it will encourage new growth.

CHIVES

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  • Light: Prefers bright, direct sunlight but also more likely to adapt to lower light than most herbs.
  • Season: Cool season crop.
  • Water: Requires consistent moisture. Water regularly, but avoid allowing standing water.
  • Plant size: Plant can grow 1 ft tall.
  • Pot size: Small pots are okay. 4-6 inches.
  • Soil: Loose, well-drained, fertile soil.
  • Problems you may encounter: Overwatering or a poorly draining soil will lead to rot and fungal disease.
  • Harvest: Cut at the base, will regrow quickly.

MINT

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  • Light: Prefers bright indirect light.
  • Season: Cool Season crop.
  • Water: Must keep the soil consistently moist, so frequent watering is required.
  • Plant size: Plant can grow 2-3 ft tall.
  • Pot size: use a wide container because mint will spread fast.
  • Soil: Fertile and moist soil (pH 6-7)
  • Problems you may encounter:
    • Dehydration will visibly lead to wilting
    • Extremely invasive, so best to confine it. Avoid planting near parsley.
  • Harvest: Cut frequently, to avoid invasive nature and encourage fresh growth.