How Can You Grow Your Own Indoor Garden?

Whether you want to try out a new hobby or wish to save some trips to the grocery store to buy fresh produce, starting a Garden seems a good answer. However, if you are a city dweller and don’t have a backyard space, you might think this option is not feasible for you. But there are always solutions, and in this case, you can bring the outdoor greeneries inside with the help of an Indoor Garden.

An Indoor garden will not only offer fresh products, but it also has good health benefits, according to experts. Studies have shown that gardening is linked with psychological well-being, increased life satisfaction, and reduced anger, stress, fatigue, anxiety, and depression symptoms.

Here is all you need to know about an indoor garden and the necessary steps to have one.

Decide what vegetables and herbs you want to grow

Before considering soil and seeds, think about what kind of vegetables and herbs you want to grow. You should also ask yourself some questions before to ensure you choose the right plants for indoor conditions. For instance, if you only want to use natural light in a slightly shady apartment, you shouldn’t grow peppers. However, there are numerous vegetables you can grow inside, like the following:

Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the best vegetables to grow indoors because it has a shallow root system and doesn’t need large containers. The best container for lettuce will be one that is at least 6 inches deep. Numerous types of lettuce can be grown indoors, like leaf, bibb and romaine.

Peppers

Small peppers are great for sunny indoor spaces. With peppers, you will have something that looks like a houseplant and can be used for infinite purposes. You can grow peppers to make your own hot sauces, use them as a garnish, or even dry them as part of your kitchen décor.

Carrots

Carrots are also an excellent option for indoor gardening, as they generally prefer a cool environment. Still, you must ensure you choose a good container because carrots are root vegetables and require a large pot to grow properly.

Herbs

Herbs are not quite a vegetable, but growing them at home is an excellent first step to start your indoor garden, especially if you are new to gardening. Moreover, herbs will make everything taste much better, and your kitchen will smell divine.

Growing your own vegetables is amazing, as your food will have a better taste, and you will always have fresh products at home, eliminating the need to go to the store because you don’t have an ingredient. However, you need a well-organized cooking space to help you in the cooking process.

If that is not the case in your house, it may be good to make some minor changes that will not cost a fortune. Cheap kitchens are an amazing option as they will transform the look of your space so that you will have a better time cooking with your own products.

A soil-based or a hydroponic indoor garden? Which one to choose?

Using planters filled with soil is one of the most common ways to grow veggies and herbs indoors, but that is not the only alternative you have. The soil will help anchor the plant, be a reservoir for nutrients and water and provide air space so that the oxygen will reach the roots.

However, hydroponic gardens have also increased in popularity lately, and this process involves growing your plants directly in water. In this system, freshwater is the one that will offer plants the needed nutrients, which are usually found in soil.

Determine your indoor garden location

Generally, the best indoor garden location is an area with good light. Also, if you have northern-facing windows, you can place your greenery directly on the sill, as the sunlight is not that hot and intense and will not harm them. However, that is not the case with the western-facing windows, as the sill might be a too hot location for the plants, so you might need to place them two or three feet away from the windows.

If you don’t benefit from much sunlight, you will need artificial lighting that simulates daylight and will offer your plants the right conditions.

Choose the best containers to grow your produce in

If you have decided you want a soil-based indoor garden, you need to pick up suitable containers for the plant you are growing. Peppers and tomatoes require at least a one or two-gallon pot for the small varieties and a three to five-gallon container for larger species, while greens can be planted in most sizes of containers.

Besides the size of the pot, you also need to keep the other features of the container in mind, as all these elements can make or break your indoor garden. It will be good to opt for plastic containers, which hold moisture and are lightweight, and pick something with drainage holes so the soil will not become oversaturated.

Water your Indoor Garden

How much and often you should water your indoor garden depends on the type of plants you are growing and their age. In general, if you keep your house warm or plants planted in a sunny area, you will need to water them more often. With newly planted greeneries, keep the soil slightly moist for the first weeks and reduce the watering frequency when your plants become more established.

As a good rule, it is time to water your plants if the soil is dry when you stick your finger.

Don’t get discouraged and start your indoor garden

A garden can be therapeutic, fulfilling and functional, especially when growing your own produce. The good news is that having a garden is not limited to those with a large backyard, as there are also solutions for the ones living in an apartment, as they can get the chance to nurture a living ecosystem in the comfort of their home.