How to Start an Indoor Garden

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Simple Indoor Gardening Tips

  Grow Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs and More!   An indoor garden can be a great way to have fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs year-round. You can also grow an indoor flower garden, or an array of pretty houseplants.

If you want to grow your own food or herbs, there are many varieties that can be grown indoors. Vegetables such as peppers, lettuce, spinach, and onions can do well indoors, as can many others. Certain herbs do especially well, and even some taller plants like tomatoes and beans can do well if you have enough space. Personally, I've had success with things like small banana peppers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, chives, parsley, basil, and cilantro, to name a few. I've also done well with herbs such as lemon balm, catnip, and peppermint, which can be dried and made into wonderful teas. Other plants that may do well indoors include carrots, garlic, peas, radishes, and strawberries. Growing your own food can save money at the grocery store, and there's nothing like the taste of fresh fruits and veggies. In addition, you know exactly where your food is coming from and exactly what has been used on it when you grow your own. 

For flowers and houseplants, African Violets, Orchids and Ivy can be gorgous, as can many others. Regardless of what you decide to grow, an indoor garden can add warmth to your home, and it can be fun!

To start an indoor garden, you'll need seeds, potting soil, containers, and an area with good lighting. You may also want to consider methods of pest control.

Starting Seeds 

How to Start Seeds for an Indoor Garden

To start, you'll need to find the seeds you want, some "starter" containers, and a good seed-starting soil mix. This video describes how to start seeds indoors:

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Choosing and Preparing Containers 

When choosing and preparing containers, you need to make sure that the container has good drainage. If you're using a ceramic pot with no drainage holes, place a smaller pot with drainage holes inside it. You can then take out the smaller pot while watering the plant, or simply remove it from the larger one temporarily to empty out any water. When preparing the container, you may want to add a layer of small rocks or pebbles before adding the soil, which will also aid with water drainage and will prevent the plant from getting too much water. Mixing some peat moss in with the soil can help with this as well.

When you first start your seeds, use inexpensive peat moss cups or small seed-starter plastic trays. Peat moss cups can be good to use because as the plants start getting bigger, you can just place the plant in it's new container while still in the peat moss cup, which lessens the likelihood of damaging the plant during transfer. Transfer the plant to a larger container when it has about three sets of leaves and a good stem base. You can use plastic containers, ceramic containers, or hanging pots. Two liter soda bottles also work well temporarily. Just cut off the bottom half of a two litter soda bottle, put four to six small holes in the bottom of it for drainage, and place it on a plate or disposable aluminum pie tin to catch any water drainage.

Photo Courtesy of PDphoto.org

Starter Containers and Gardening Books 

100% Organic Biodegradable 2" Seed Starting 60 Pots

Made with all natural materials, these starter pots can be placed directly into the soil or larger pot, and the plant will grow right through the container. No waste.

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

PLANTATION PRODUCTS P960 SEED STARTER TRAY 96 CELLS

Well made seed starter tray that can be used more than once.

Amazon Price: $5.39 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting

This book descibes how to garden in small spaces, and discusses methods for organic and sustainable gardening. Buying and building containers, lighting, transplanting, and growing methods are covered.

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

The Edible Container Garden: Growing Fresh Food in Small Spaces

Book discusses how containers can be used for small garden spaces, as well as watering techniques, methods for handling pests, and more.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

Lighting 

Natural Sunlight and Artificial Lighting

It doesn't take a lot of expensive lighting or a huge sunroom to grow plants indoors. In fact, I've had good results growing various plants in my windowsills. You can also use a table placed in front of a window, as well as inexpensive plant lights that can be hung from the ceiling or placed on a wall. Even regular soft-white incandescent lighting will help plants to grow. While you may get a larger yield setting up a lot of lights and using a lot of space, it's not absolutely necessary to go through that much trouble. Most families can probably get enough from smaller yields just to sustain themselves, and with indoor gardening, you can pick what you need and leave the rest of the plant for use later on.

Seed packages normally state the lighting requirements for the particular plant. If the package states that the plant needs full sunlight, then you may want to place the plant near a sunny window and use artificial light to supplement for a lack of full sunlight. If it states that the plant only needs low to moderate lighting, then placing the plant in a sunny window may provide enough light to sustain the plant.

Growing Indoor Plants With Artificial Light 

This short video tells how to use a combination of sunlight and artificial light to grow plants indoors. It also discusses methods for using only artificial light.
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Indoor Plant Lights from Amazon 

All of these plant lights, available from Amazon, are under $30. These can be mounted on a wall or placed nearby plants for optimum lighting.

Pest Control 

Choosing Pesticides and Pest Control Methods

To control pests, you can use conventional or organic methods. Conventional methods include using commercial pesticides that can be easily found at any home and garden center. Organic methods include using natural pesticides and other tactics for controlling pests. Pre-made natural pesticides may be available at many home and garden centers, or you can make your own. You can make your own natural pesticides with items that you probably already have around the house. Personally, I prefer to use natural methods of pest control, but the method that you decide to use is dependent upon your personal preference. Both methods involve pest control and prevention. You'll find several articles below that may be helpful with pest control management.

Pest Control Management Resources 

Organic Pest Management
Discusses natural methods for pest management
Organic Garden Pest Control
Offers tips and suggestions for managing pests naturally
Making Your Own Natural Pesticides
Offers three different concoctions for home-made natural pesticides using common items
Companion Planting: Using Herbs to Deter Pests
Discusses how to plant certain "pest detering" herbs around other plants for pest control

More Resources for Indoor Gardening 

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