When the weather is less than friendly, it is a good idea to start an indoor vegetable garden. This way you can supplement your diet with lots of healthy vegetables and save money this winter. Hopefully these tips will help you grow a bountiful crop.
Pick a Good Spot – Planning for your garden before you build it is absolutely key for a successful indoor garden. Choose a good spot in your home that is out of the way, and that has adequate space and also plenty of sunlight. Just like outdoors, your plants need the sun to thrive. So either put your indoor garden space next to a window with plenty of light, or you can also use UV lamps.
Use the Right Containers – What you plant your vegetables in is of great importance. Your containers need to be the right size to hold soil securely and to avoid the risk of tipping. Each plant needs a different amount of space; you can usually find this information on the back of the seed packet or through your garden supplier. Remember that no matter how much you clean a container, if it once held hazardous materials there can still be some traces that will seep in to the soil.
Choose the Right Plants – Some plants thrive indoors better than others. Here are some good indoor plants to grow:
- Tomatoes – are one of the easiest plants to grow, especially for beginners. They do need plenty of warmth and light, so either stick these next to a window or get a UV grow light.
- Peppers – Like tomatoes, peppers are good beginner vegetables.
- Herbs – Herbs are grown in kitchen windowsills everywhere. Just about any herb you can think of, from basil to cilantro to ginger, can be grown indoors.
- Carrots – With a deep container, lots of light, and moist soil, carrots are another yummy and easy indoor vegetable.
- Mushrooms – They grow all over your yard, why not in your home? Mushrooms are super easy to grow, and your local garden supply will likely have kits to make it even easier.
- Micro-greens – You can use the seeds from just about any and every vegetable and ìsproutî them. Sprouting is an easy and super healthy way to get tons of vitamins and nutrients.
- Green onions and garlic – Green onions and garlic alike are easy to grow indoors and need very little tending.
Take Care of Your Plants – For each plant that you grow, make sure you know that plant's specific needs. Some require lots of light, others very little, and some require more water than others. Knowing these little things ahead of time can make indoor gardening much easier.
Keep Pets and Pests Away – Since you are growing indoors, you will likely have fewer pests bothering your garden, but you still have to be careful. Mites, parasites, and other pests can still infiltrate and actually thrive indoors. Also, make sure to keep an eye on your pets and keep them away from your plants as well.
Growing an indoor garden is easy and fun. With these tips, you can keep a vegetable garden all year long, even in the bitter cold months of winter.
Does your family have an indoor garden?
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