Indoor Gardening

The crisp cool air and shortened days remind us that Fall is here and Winter will soon follow. While growing fresh fruits and vegetables outdoors is often associated with the Spring, indoor growing has become a popular and convenient way to reap the many benefits of freshly grown produce during the cold seasons.  As a busy mother of two who also works full time, I have grown to appreciate the various methods that allow my family access to fresh and healthy vegetables.  Below I detail my go to plants for my indoor growing.

Tips for Indoor Gardening

Leafy Greens

Vegetables that are harvested for their leaves, opposed to their fruit tend to grow better indoors. Leafy vegetables require less light and space than fruit producing vegetables, making them much easier to grow inside. For example, mustard greens, kale, and arugula would grow better than zucchini, squash, and tomatoes.

My favorite way to grow leafy greens indoors is with my Tower Garden. A tower garden is an aeroponic growing system that uses technology developed by NASA. The vertical growing tower doesn’t require soil and uses sun-spectrum LED grow lights, which allows you to grow larger plants in less time than regular gardening. The best part of these systems is that they are soilless, eliminating the need to get dirty, kneel, or sweat in the hot sun. Taking up less than 3 feet, the Tower Garden can grow up to 36 different plants and herbs that can be harvested daily; more than enough to feed my family of three.

Microgreens

Microgreens are a favorite in my household since they don’t take up a lot of space, grow quickly, and are extremely tasty! Microgreens, which take about a week to grow, are young vegetable greens that contain up to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts. For example, cilantro microgreens have three times more beta-carotene than mature cilantro, and red cabbage microgreens have 40 times more vitamin E and six times more vitamin C than mature red cabbage.

To grow microgreens indoors, first find a shallow tray with holes, then add an inch of moistened potting soil, and scatter your chosen microgreen seeds on top. After adding a thin layer of soil on top of the seeds, mist the surface, and cover with a paper towel then place in dark spot. These power packed seeds need moisture and warmth to sprout, not necessarily sunlight. Check and mist daily. Once your seeds have sprouted (2-7 days), remove the paper towel and place in a sunny window. You will be able to harvest as soon as the first two leaves appear!

Herbs

Herbs are a staple in our household and are consistently harvested for cooking and making teas. Growing them indoors allows us access to fresh herbs year-round that taste better and cost a fraction of what we would spend at a grocery or health food store. For example, fresh basil can cost as much as $2-3 for a few ounces. However, the cost of basil seeds are only a couple dollars and will yield a bounty of fresh herbs that can be harvested on a weekly basis.

When provided the right pots, soil, sunlight, and watering routine, herbs such as chives, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and thyme are super easy to grow indoors. Its best to plant herbs in separate containers so you can create the perfect environment for each plant. When choosing a pot, be sure to use one with a drainage hole. Terra Cotta pots are usually a good choice, as they naturally absorb moisture, causing it to evaporate and often spares the plant from root rot. It is also important to consider the size of your pot, which will depend on the type of herbs you are growing. Basil plants, for example, have a longer root system and often benefit from a deeper pot.  Although each herb has a slightly different watering need, it is usually best to allow the soil to dry out in between watering. You can test if it is time to water by sticking your finger into the soil. If it is dry at least two inches below the top, then it’s usually time to water.

The best part of growing an indoor garden is the opportunity to spice up your kitchen or living room with live, edible plants. Have fun by using colorful pots, unique herb planters, or repurposed household items as pots. The possibilities are endless!