There are more than a few secrets to getting your food to grow indoors no matter what part of the year it is. Well-drained soil, plenty of light (even grow lights), and the right amounts of water are crucial to the success of indoor gardening. The general “rules” of container gardening apply here, too. Make sure the container is deep enough for the plant, use fresh potting mix, and make sure the container has a drainage hole.
Again, this is all simple enough in the summer. Your plants sit by the open windows and enjoy a nice breeze while they bask in the sunlight. But let’s talk about winter. How can you get food to grow indoors without that lovely breeze or the open windows or the 12 hours of sunshine? Light, indoor varieties, and warmth. Sometimes, also humidity. A hydroponic garden can truly thrive in a dry winter with a mister.
Hydroponic gardens are a whole separate beast of indoor gardening, but they are a wonderful thing if you love fresh produce. Depending on your system, soil may not even be needed, and you can grow a compact food garden right in your living room without any mess. For those who take a more disciplined approach, closed system hydroponics could be the right solution for growing an indoor garden. Or, if you simply don’t want to give up fresh produce in the winter, it’s great too!
In the articles below, we share everything you need to know about indoor gardening. And you can learn even more about it in our How to Grow a Vegetable Garden: 10 Things Every Gardener Needs to Know Before Starting a Food Garden freebie. Enjoy!
Micro-gardening? Yeah, it’s pretty much what it sounds like, although micro-gardening indoors is somewhat of a variation on the original design. The idea of micro-gardening began as a way to deal with food insecurity and lack of access to healthy, fresh foods. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) describes micro-gardening as […]
Allow me to share with you why I decided to write about how to bring an outdoor plant inside without bugs. It all began with a lovely little citrus tree. I love citrus trees, and there’s nothing like a bright pop of yellow lemons or colorful oranges to liven up your home, inside or out. […]
There’s an old joke that goes like this: “Hey, doctor! It hurts when I do this.” To which the doctor replies: “Then don’t do that!” That’s what I think of when I think about greenhouse problems. “Hey, doc! I’ve got some greenhouse problems!” “Then don’t grow plants in a greenhouse!” Of course, the joke is […]
I love mushrooms. There’s nothing like some grilled Lobster mushrooms as a side or Lion’s Mane mushrooms cooked in a little olive oil. I’m also not much of a wild mushroom forager. I know people who are really good at it. I’m thankful for those people. It’s just not my favorite activity. If this sounds […]
When was the last time you gave much thought to your indoor garden temperature? Maybe a little when you’re trying to germinate seeds or get your seedlings off to a good start. Otherwise? I admit it’s not always on the top of my list. But, if I’m comfortable in my home, then my plants must […]
It seems easy enough. When it comes to natural light vs. artificial light, we all know plants love sunlight. They soak up the sun’s rays and turn them into the energy they use to grow and produce. Photosynthesis is pretty darn cool! Certainly, there was a time when the answer to this question was a […]
Living in the northeast, I don’t take indoor growing of fruits and vegetables that seriously. I consider it more of a hobby than a sustainable source of produce, and maybe even more of a science experiment. Here are some recent examples: “this winter, can I get a crop of cherry tomatoes before spider mites come […]
If you’ve seen a banana tree in the wild, you might think the idea of growing bananas indoors is ludicrous. Depending on the variety, “average” banana trees can grow anywhere from 20 to 40 feet tall. They grow quickly, too. It’s not unheard of for banana plants to grow in the neighborhood of three feet […]
I don’t have great luck growing basil indoors in the winter, and I know I’m not alone in this. I used to supplement my basil habit with store-bought container basil or even a fresh plant here and there, but the conditions in my area and in my home have always given me trouble. And like […]
I love avocados. I also live in New England. That means if I have any hope of plucking ripe avocados from a tree, I need to think about growing avocados indoors. The avocado tree has origins in Central and South America and needs steady day and night temperatures around 70 degrees to thrive. Avocados from […]
