Indoor Gardens - Indoor Container Vegetable Gardening Made Easy

Start with the Pot

Whether you are beginning a container vegetable garden or an indoor herb garden, it is important to choose the proper pot; a pot too small will crowd the roots and very large pots will need a manner of moving them so they can take best advantage of the available sunlight. All pots for container vegetable gardening need to provide adequate drainage and be large enough to allow the finished plant room not just the seedlings.

A good rule of thumb for container vegetable gardens is to allow a minimum of 18 inches in diameter or width and 18 inches of depth for most plants; this will vary depending on the exact vegetable, e.g root crops will need twice the depth they are expected to reach at maturity.

The material the pot is made out of and the color of the pot are important factors to consider for container vegetable gardens; each climate has a type of pot which is best suited to produce the best results. Cold climates with little sun can enjoy dark colored pots made of metals as they can stand up to the winter cold, and there is little worry of overheating heating the root system during the summer months.

Wood and clay are good choices for container vegetable gardens in warmer climates; they allow the roots to breathe and wood will retain moisture to allow less frequent watering. Light colored pots will help to assure the roots do not get over heated as this will kill the plant.

Location and Lighting

Choosing the location for the containers for a vegetable garden is an important step; many vegetables require full sun, full sun generally means at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Some plants will tolerate partial shade but still need at least 3 hours of direct sun each day; additionally making pots mobile can prevent them from getting water logged during a heavy rain, especially if the pot happens to be in a roof drain off location. If you are considering an indoor planting make sure you have adequate lighting for the plants.

Watering

A container vegetable garden needs plenty of water and drainage; insuring the proper amount of water and air reach the roots is essential to successful growing. Feeling soil an inch below the surface will tell if the plant is in need of water; drooping plants are a sign of dehydration not just need of a little water, plants should never be allowed to reach that point.

You should water only the soil, not the leaves, as the roots carry the water to the whole plant, the leaves cannot absorb it themselves; watering the leaves can cause bacteria, mold or other diseases to infest the leaves. But take care not to have the water splash up on the leaves which can transmit diseases.

One other way to grow vegetables indoors is with an min indoor green house. There is a wide range of ways to do indoor greenhouse gardening. You can start with something small that might even fit on a windowsill like an indoor herb garden tray, or make your own by outfitting a simple set of white bookshelves with a set of indoor grow lights. For the ultimate in indoor greenhouses, a full mini greenhouse with an enclosure allows you to control the humidity and temperature a little better, and you can put it in out of the way places like the basement and stil get great results.

Probably the easiest way to grow vegetables or herbs indoors is with a windowsill greenhouse. These are small plastic trays that often are used for starting seedlings indoors, but can be used to grow small herbs as well. They include a clear plastic cover over the top to help maintain the humidity level, which can be an issue when growing indoors, as the relative humidity indoors in the wintertime can approach the same arid conditions of 20% or so often seen in desert climates.

Just add water, put it on a windowsill with reasonable lighting (many herbs don't need as much light as most vegetables) and you'll have fresh herbs in short order.