Indoor Vegetable Garden

An indoor vegetable garden is the answer for the city dweller who longs for vine-ripen tomatoes, crisp lettuce, radishes, and sprouts for that salad.

So what if you don't have garden space outside?

You can still grow your own veggies!

Even in the small cubbyhole of an apartment, you can grow vegetables. 

You can grow them in a variety of containers; for example, pots, boxes, planters, plastic bottles, old wine crates, in hanging baskets or in old buckets.

You can have all the benefits of having fresh grown produce any time of the year, particularly in extreme cold or hot climates. Plus, gardening indoors with good soil can be enjoyable and low maintenance. 

You won't have to pull weeds and be bothered with certain diseases and pests that naturally occur outside.

Small vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, and radishes are three of the easiest vegetables to grow indoors; however, each grows differently and will need separate containers. Carrots and radishes, which are harvested only once, should be staggered to produce vegetables in
succession. You can also grow bell peppers, cucumbers, and dwarf varieties of peas and beans. 

All of these vegetables are easy to grow and don’t require a lot of space and maintenance, but climbing plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers must have some type of stake or trellis to grow on for support.

Gather some containers, growing medium, and some good quality seeds that are noted as being resistant to pests and diseases.  You can also use seedlings or young starter plants; however, growing from seeds is a more budget-friendly way to start.  You can also use garden kits with seeds where you just punch holes in the container and add water.  In addition, you can get microgreens which are tiny edible houseplants.  They are cheap, nutritious, and easy to grow.

You must also have and a window, or sunny area to provide natural light, but if you do not have sufficient light, it is not a problem.  With the indoor plant growing systems, you can grow an indoor vegetable garden in a basement.

Indoor Vegetable Garden Care Tips

Potting Mix:  After selecting your seeds, germinate them in sterilized potting mixture,  This is necessary because using outside soil can contain unwanted elements such as mites, weed seeds, insects, and pests. Plant seeds no deeper than twice their diameter and keep potting mixture moist but not soaking wet.

Light:  All you need to do is mimic the ideal growing conditions by providing at least 6 - 8 hours natural sunlight.  A south-facing window is the best source of natural sunlight for your vegetables to grow in.  If you do not have the right exposure, you can supplement with LED
grow lights.

Just remember to rotate plants for even growth as plants are drawn to the light.

Containers:  Terra cotta clay pots are ideal and they already have drainage holes. If you use unusual containers, you must make sure there is enough drainage. Prepare container by drilling several holes in the bottom for excess water to run off. If you use crockery, be sure to put a layer of gravel or wood chips to allow the water to run out of the soil.

Watering: water thoroughly, then allow the soil to drain and empty excess water; then allow the top one inch of soil to dry slightly to touch between waterings. A well-draining potting mixture should be used. This is necessary to prevent root rot which can kill your plant.

Fertilizer:  Apply all-purpose slow-release organic fertilizer.

In a couple of months or more, your indoor vegetable garden will produce a bountiful, healthy crop just like the kind in grown outside.