Be sure to water windowsill plants regularly

Windows let the gardener bring the outdoors indoors. Light powers all plant growth, and indoor plants need as much light as they can get. Porches will sometimes have jalousie windows made up of many slats of glass. Jalousie is from the French word for jealousy because their slatted louvers keep your view safe from jealous, peering eyes.

Most homes have more permanent and better-sealing windows that are perfect for indoor plants.

Before you crowd pots of plants along a windowsill, you may want to make your narrow windowsills wider.

You can, of course, simply move a small table or bookcase against the window. But the best material for shelves is the same material as for windows: glass.

Reasonably thick glass shelves can support lots of plants without cutting down too much on the light entering the room. To save money, ask where you buy the glass if they can cut glass shelves from scraps.

Use thick glass, at least a half-inch thick, to support the weight of potted plants.

Try framing your window with growing vines by simply running a heavy wire through screw eyes attached to the window frame. Place a quick-growing vine such as ivy, philodendron or pothos at the floor and train it along the wire, and within months you will have a window framed with greenery.

Once you have your glass shelves in place, add plants to suit the season, such as chrysanthemums in the fall or poinsettias for Christmas.

If your window gets less light, choose plants that prefer lower light, such as most herbs. Herbs that do well in a windowsill herb garden include basil, chives, dill, lemon balm, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme.

Be sure to water windowsill plants regularly. Poke a finger into the soil, and if the upper inch of soil is dry, then it is time to water. Do not overwater, as this may lead to root rot and disease.

Plants will naturally grow toward the light in a process called phototropism. Chemical signals or auxins on the side of the plant that gets more sun grow shorter and sturdier, while the part of the plant in the shade grows taller and spindly. To keep your plants in good shape, simply turn the pot a quarter-turn every time you water.

During the warm days of summer, windowsill gardens can overheat, so you may want to instal an awning or just curtains to block some of the light.

Because most homes are very dry during winter, misting your windowsill garden is good. Do this in the morning so the mist dries up before nightfall.

And don't forget to give your plants a shower. Gently hosing them off in a sink or the bathtub will remove dust and dirt from the leaves as well as any invasive mites or bugs.

Too much light will cause leaves to curl or wilt, or fade their color with leaves turning lighter green. Finally, too much light can cause leaves to get scorched, turn brown and die.

Warning signs that your windowsill garden plants are getting too little light include leaves that turn yellow, variegated leaves growing solid green, and plants that are spindly. Too little light will cause plants to drop older leaves, and the new leaves will be much smaller and fewer. Too little light means blooming houseplants such as African violets will not bloom.

You can increase light with lamps or shop lights fitted with grow bulbs, special light bulbs that offer the full spectrum of light. You can also add mirrors to reflect light back onto the plants.

Put in glass shelves along a window, plant an indoor windowsill garden, and your neighbors will be jealous, whether or not you have jalousie windows.