Pretty, peas? Growing vegetables indoors during the cold season

Limited outdoor growing space or cold winters may have you missing fresh homegrown vegetables. Make this the winter you try growing a few vegetables in a sunny window or under artificial lights.

Greens are one of the easiest to grow indoors. Most leafy vegetables tolerate the lower light indoors, require minimal space, and prefer cool temperatures.

Select a container that has drainage holes and will fit near a sunny window or under an artificial light setup. Keep the artificial lights about 6 inches above the top of these and other plants. Fill the container with a well-drained potting mix and sprinkle seeds of your favorite leafy greens over the soil surface. Lightly cover the seeds and moisten the soil.

Remove overcrowded plants, called thinning, to provide sufficient space for the remaining plants to reach full size. Begin harvesting the outer leaves when 4 to 6 inches tall.

Extend the time between watering and increase success when growing these and other vegetables by amending the soil with a moisture-retaining product, like Wild Valley Farms' wool pellets (wildvalleyfarms.com). This organic and sustainable product holds 20% of its weight in water and slowly releases moisture into the soil when needed.

Add some crunch to your salads with quick-maturing salad radishes. Plant seeds one-fourth inch deep and thin to 1 to 2 inches apart. Use scissors to thin the plantings at ground level and use the greens to add a bit of zip to salads and sandwiches.

Expand your indoor edible garden by growing dwarf sugar snap peas. These and other vegetables, of which you eat the fruit or flowers, need more light. Supplementing natural sunlight with artificial lights will help increase success.

Plant two seeds in each 3-inch pot or several seeds 2 inches apart in a long rectangular container. Once the seedlings reach 2 inches tall, thin the plantings. Leave one plant in each individual pot and seedlings spaced 4 inches apart in larger containers. Cut the extra sprouts at ground level and use them in salads, sandwiches and stir-fries.

Peas are self-fertile, so no bees are needed. Harvest pods when they reach the size you prefer.

Don't forget the tomatoes. These take longer and are a bit more challenging, but that is the joy of gardening. Start your plants from seeds if transplants are not available.

Consider growing one of the many small-scale tomato varieties that require less space and increase your chance of success. All-America Selections winners Patio Choice Yellow, Lizzano, Torenzo as well as Tiny Tim and Micro tomatoes are some varieties you may want to try.

Grow small plants in 1- to 2-gallon pots and larger varieties in 3- to 5-gallon size containers. Water thoroughly when the top few inches of soil begin to dry. Once flowers form, lightly shake the stem to aid in pollination.