Which growing product do you need?
Before you can harvest, a plant goes through a few stages. A different product helps in each stage. This table shows at a glance what you use when.
Sowing:
- Where: Indoors on the windowsill
- What to use: A grow tray
- Why: A shallow tray for seed compost, some with a water reservoir that takes over the watering for you
Starting early:
- Where: Indoors or outdoors
- What to use: A grow house
- Why: Under the transparent lid it stays warm and humid, so you can sow earlier in the year
Propagating:
- Where: Indoors or sheltered outdoors
- What to use: Separate grow pots
- Why: As soon as there are leaves, each plant gets its own pot and more room for its roots
Harvesting:
- Where: Balcony, patio or garden
- What to use: A grow table
- Why: A vegetable garden at working height, with room for vegetables and herbs
Don't forget the watering. Rainwater is best for your plants. With a rain barrel and a handy watering can, you always have it at hand.
Every growing product has its own job
The stage a young plant is in determines which growing product is ideal to work with. Together, they take you from seed to harvest.
A grow tray is small and easy to move. You simply put it on the windowsill or on a table and fill it with seed compost. Several rows of seeds fit side by side. It's ideal if you want to start sowing or have little space.
Put a grow house over it, and you've got a mini greenhouse. Under the transparent lid it stays warm and humid, so seeds germinate faster. With the ventilation slide, you let in fresh air when it gets too stuffy. This lets you start as early as early spring.
As soon as the first leaves appear, the tray quickly becomes too cramped. Then you move each plant to its own grow pot. The roots get more room and the plant gets stronger before it goes outside.
The last step is a grow table, basically a vegetable garden on legs. You work at a comfortable height and no longer have to bend your knees to weed or harvest. There are compact tables for a balcony and larger ones for the garden or patio.
Growing plants with elho
At elho, they believe that more green around you makes you happier. Growing your own plants fits in nicely with that. You see something grow that you sowed yourself, and you eat it later. The products are made with the same care as elho's pots and planters. This is what you can expect:
- Made from recycled plastic. Production runs on wind energy, and after years of use everything can be recycled again.
- A lid with UV filter, so young plants don't get scorched when the sun shines brightly on the windowsill.
- Light and easy to clean. After the season, you rinse everything off and put it away until next spring.
- Two-year guarantee, in case something unexpectedly goes wrong.
Prefer to grow herbs in an ordinary pot on the windowsill? Then the indoor flowerpots also offer plenty of choice.
Growing anywhere, even without a garden
You don't need a big vegetable garden to grow your own vegetables and herbs. With the right equipment, you can turn almost any spot into a small nursery.
On the windowsill
This is usually where it starts, as early as February. A tray with a transparent lid fits on a bright windowsill. You sow tomatoes and herbs in it, well before it's warm enough outside. A saucer or drip tray underneath keeps your windowsill dry.
On the balcony
On a balcony, every square metre counts. You can put a compact table on legs against the wall. On it, you grow lettuce and herbs at hand height. Also take a look at the balcony planters for an extra row of strawberries or flowers.
In the garden or on the patio
Have more space? Then choose a larger table and grow a decent harvest together. Put it in a sunny spot, close to the kitchen. Then you can just pop outside for a handful of fresh parsley.
Frequently asked questions about growing products
What do you start with as a beginner?
Start small. A tray with a transparent lid on the windowsill is enough. Sow a few herbs or tomatoes and watch them come up. If that goes well, expand outdoors in spring.
Can you use growing products indoors and outdoors?
Yes, most of them. The lid has a UV filter and can withstand frost, so it can easily stand outside. Indoors it's handy for sowing early, outdoors for an early start on the balcony.
When do you start sowing?
Indoors, you can start as early as February. Most vegetables can only go outside once it no longer freezes and the plants have a few sturdy leaves.
What can you grow on a small balcony?
More than you think. Herbs and lettuce do well on a compact table. Small tomatoes work too. Choose varieties that don't root too deeply. A container 20 to 30 centimetres deep is usually enough, with a few holes in the bottom.
What water do you give your seedlings?
Rainwater is best, and you can collect it for free. Water gently, so the seeds don't wash away.
