How to Get Started in Indoor Gardening

If you’re a busy urbanite with limited time for gardening, or you just don’t have the space for an outdoor garden, indoor gardening is a great option to get your hands dirty. Not only does indoor gardening allow you to grow fresh vegetables year round, it can also boost your mental and physical health, thanks to plants’ ability to clean the air.

Whether you want to start an indoor vegetable garden in your home or a commercial setting, there are many ways to grow vegetables year round without the use of artificial lights. The first thing you need to do is determine what types of plants you’re going to be growing, which can vary based on your preferences and available space.

The best way to figure out which vegetables and herbs are appropriate for an indoor garden is to talk to gardening experts or ask online forums. Some veggies that do well in an indoor environment include carrots, hot peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.

For herbs, basil, chives, mint, parsley, thyme and oregano are popular choices. They thrive in a sunny indoor location and are easy to care for.

In addition to the above, radishes are another vegetable that’s easy to grow inside. They only require 30 to 40 days from germination to harvest and don’t need as much light as other vegetables.

Tomatoes are another warm-weather loving plant that’s easy to grow in an indoor garden, but they’ll need a lot of light. This can be achieved with grow lights or by placing the garden next to a window that gets plenty of sunshine.

You can also get a tomato starter kit to simplify the process of starting seeds indoors. It includes planting flats, a heat mat and lights to help your plants grow.

Repotting Your Indoor Garden

If you have an indoor garden, you’ll need to repot your plants on a regular basis as they grow and become root bound. This is important to keep the soil healthy and your plants happy.

Choose a pot that is deep enough for the plants you’re growing and make sure it has holes in the bottom so excess water can drain out. Overwatering can kill your plants, so it’s important to avoid this.

Choosing the Right Indoor Garden Design

The design of your indoor garden should be a balance between beauty and functionality. Think about the size of the plants and where they will be positioned so you have a well-balanced look. Alternatively, consider a modern vertical garden or living wall where the plants are arranged on special panels that don’t take up a lot of space in your home.

A good idea is to group plants with similar characteristics so they will complement each other and will look harmonious. For example, a small plant with a greenish foliage will look beautiful next to a taller, dark-colored one.

Lastly, the type of flowers you use should be chosen with the plant’s needs in mind. For instance, leafy greens and herbs will be fine if they receive ample sunlight, while flowers and fruit-producing plants need more shade to survive indoors.