Indoor Vegetable Gardening

If you are someone who is appalled with the thought of eating store-bought greens that are full of exotic toxins, or are more of a ‘green’ hobbyist, then having your own indoor vegetable garden should be a very good idea. You don’t really need a 40-acre spread to kick-start your indoor garden. Whether you are put up in an urban pad, or are confined to an apartment, you can always grow your own salad ingredients or herbs right within the confines of your balcony. All you will need is a few feet of sunny floor space; a couple of spare containers, little soil and fertilizers, and you can grow almost anything from eggplants to cilantro, right at home. Plus, the best part is that you can eat loads of healthy veggies that are devoid of pesky pesticides, all at a very cost effective price. Now, with all that and more to indoor gardening, isn’t it just good that you too make out some space for your own indoor garden? However, before you start, just read through these few tips and get a basket full of fresh yield.

Tips On Indoor Vegetable Gardening

Whether you prefer fresh homegrown yields to expensive store-bought veggies, or do not have enough yard space to grow your lettuce or radish, an indoor vegetable garden is what you want to take care of your needs. Nevertheless, before you get on with your shovel and spade, it’s important to find out the kind of plants that would best fit your window box or your urn. After all, you cannot really expect to grow a pumpkin in a pot, can you? Plants like mint, parsley, basil, thyme, chilies, beets, squash, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables are the ideal plants to grow indoors, if space is a constraint for you. Nonetheless, if space isn’t much of a concern, then you can choose to have a bean vine on your patio wall or even plant some root vegetables. The cue is to know your space limit and then take a dive.
Once you have figured out the vegetables you would like to grow indoors, you can get on with the task of selecting your pot next. Make sure that the container you choose isn’t very big or too small. Large tubs occupy more space, while small tubs can crowd the roots. Go for a pot that is 18 inches in depth and diameter. However, if you wish to grow root vegetables like potatoes and onions, then you might need a larger pot. A clay or metal pot should be just fine for the indoors. Nevertheless, stay away from dark colored pots, as they tend to absorb more sunlight than normal pots, thereby destroying your plants.
Another important point to keep in mind when growing plants indoors is the drainage. To save your plants from stagnating in excess water, make sure that your pot has proper drainage facilities. It is best to cover the base of your pot with a thick layer of gravel or broken pieces of pottery before you cover it up with soil. This will help the water to flow out easily.
An indoor vegetable garden needs plenty of light to flourish. Therefore, position your pot in a place where it can get at least 6 hours of sunlight every day. Some plants can do well with partial shade. But for that, you need to ensure that these plants get three hours of sunlight every day. Choose a place that has sufficient natural light. Also ensure that you have mobile pots to save them from getting water logged during the rainy season.
The last thing to consider when opting for an indoor garden is the soil. Remember, not all plants need the same kind of soil. Therefore, make sure you choose the soil accordingly. You can go to the nursery or a local garden store and pick up the best soil required for your plants. You can also get natural fertilizers to boost the yield.

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