Newbie questions about soil and containers

[puchka]

Hi...

I would like to start a small indoor garden in my apartment for the following:

1. Cilantro
2. Jalapenos
3. Mint
4. Cherry tomatoes
5. Wheat grass.

I would like to buy the stuff for this from the home depot and would like to know about these:

1. Soil Mix: What to get from home depot to make my soil mix
2. What type of containers are best for these? Are grow tray (the one used for wheat grass) are also good for herbs like Cilantro and Mint?

My apartment has a large window that allows a lot of sun to come in. So, I don't think I would need a growing light, but I really need your guidance on making the soil mix from the items available at home depot (trhat is the nearest store to my place and I don't have car (I live in new york city suburb)).

[rainbowgardener]

Despite the large sunny window it is very difficult to grow peppers and tomatoes indoors, without supplemental lighting, especially if you want them to produce fruit. Tomatoes and peppers need at least 6 hrs a day of direct sun. If you want them to fruit you will need to invest in some specialized lighting.

Re the soil, the easiest thing is just to buy a big bag of Miracle Grow potting soil or something like that. Comes pre mixed with vermiculite, peat, etc in in it. You don't have to do anything except pour it in a pot. Your peppers and tomatoes will need at least a 2 gallon pot PER PLANT.

The others on the list are a lot easier to grow indoors.

[microcollie]

You might need different soil mixes for different plants. My spearmint in my garden is directly under a downspout. It seems to like wet feet. My cilantro doesn't. I bring pots of herbs indoors every winter and my mint is almost always the first to go (I admit that I'm bad at remembering to water indoors). Whatever the soil type, I always go organic when I'm growing edibles.
I agree with RG that peppers and tomatoes are tricky inside, although I've seen dwarf cherry tomato plants just for this purpose.