Indoor Vegitable GardeningFor those who have no space for a garden, such as city gardeners or for those who simply yearn to be surrounded by greenery throughout the year, even during the winters, indoor gardening is the best solution. Indoor gardens can turn a stale room into a vibrant living space. Many of us do gardening for the sheer joy of it but indoor gardening is also used for therapeutic purposes. Plants filter the air in your house as they inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. Growing plants indoors can be fun and rewarding. The most exciting part of indoor vegitable gardening is when you are able to eat fresh vegetables from your own garden. Indoor gardeners love the fact that they do not have to bear the hot sun on them, do not have to bend, and are still able to have good soil as the area to be covered is less and they have very little weed problem. Indoor gardens are easier to maintain. During the winter season, when outdoor gardening activities wind down, most of the people usually opt for indoor gardening. Most of us overlook the idea of growing vegetables indoors, but it can be done within limits. Temperature, fertilization, light requirements and pollination are a little different when growing vegetables indoors. Hence the following particulars must be kept in mind while cultivating an indoor vegetable garden. 1. Soil Preparation- The soil should be lightweight and drained well. Soil requirements in indoor vegetable gardening are different from that of outdoor type. The outdoor garden soil can harbor insects and diseases that are difficult to control. Hence lightweight soil mixes are the best and can be found in nurseries. Equal parts of potting soil, vermiculite, peat moss and perlite will be a good mix for indoor vegetable gardening. 2. Getting the pots ready- Indoor vegetables can be grown in any pots or containers. Though plastic containers are little cheaper, they get heated very fast. Hence ceramic containers are one of the favorites among indoor gardeners. Metal containers are also used. The most important part is there must be drainage at the bottom of the container. 3. Proper planning- The best way to plan out things is to buy the seeds in abundance, store them according to their needs and start sowing them in the right season. 4. Temperature and light- Leaf crop such as lettuce, spinach, coriander, mint, endive, Swiss chard, require cooler indoor temperature. Whereas tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, cucumbers, beans, squash require warmer indoor daytime and night time temperature. The intensity and amount of light is also an important factor to consider. Different plants have different light requirements. Almost all vegetable plants require 6 to 8 hours of sunlight everyday. 5. Vegetables need to be watered properly either everyday or alternate days. This is one of the major drawbacks of indoor gardening. Plants dry out faster in containers as compared to outdoor gardens. Hence plants, which grow in containers, need more care and attention. 6. Pollination is something that has to be done manually. An artist’s brush helps to distribute pollen from one flower to another. 7. Proper fertilization- A balanced organic fertilizer is used every two weeks for best results. The sizes of the vegetables that are grown indoors are not the same as those grown outdoors. But various crops can be cultivated if lighting, fertilizing, pollinating, soil and temperature requirements are met. Nothing tastes better than the vegetables picked fresh from your own garden. Your family and friends will be delighted when you serve them with vegetables that you yourself have grown and harvested. So don’t be disappointed if you do not have a garden. Try indoor vegitable gardening! |
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