Indoor Gardening
Make Your Own Seasons and
Grow Indoors Year-Round
You don’t need a yard to cultivate a garden — you can have it all indoors.
T
he kitchen
counter is just
one of the many
places plants
will pop up, as
indoor gardening
becomes the new, easy way
people can grow vegetables,
herbs, foliage plants and
flowers all year.
One of the main advantages
of indoor gardens is they
aren’t limited by seasons,
which means gardeners can
grow summer crops in the
middle of winter and vice
versa. Truly any plant can be
grown indoors, as long as
the growing environment is
suited to the plant’s needs.
You can grow virtually
anything inside as long as
you have a little space, a lot
of light and decide whether
you want to grow in soil or
hydroponically.
Hydroponic systems grow
plants in anything but soil,
mediums such as coco coir,
sand, gravel, or straight
water. When growing
hydroponically, the gardener
provides all the nutrients a
plant would need to their
water supply. Plants are more
sensitive to environmental
changes when grown
24 Landscape & Urban Design Issue 21
hydroponically and should
be checked daily.
2.
Systems with soil are little
more forgiving and can
be managed more on an
as-needed basis. Soil found
outside is not appropriate,
since it’s often too heavy
and may contain weeds and
insects. Opt for a mix specific
to indoor plants.
Starting your indoor garden
is simple. Maintaining the
garden’s "Indoor Limiting
Factors" is the key to success.
Indoor Limiting Factors
1.
Let there be light. The
type of lighting needed
in any indoor gardening
system depends on
the types of plants you
want to grow. Aggressive
fruiting and flowering
plants or gardens with
dense canopies need
more intense lighting
compared to others.
There is more to a grow
light than the bulb so
talk to your Homestead
Gardens garden center
specialist about buying
a Sun System that
includes all the proper
equipment.
3.
4.
Don’t let it dry out.
Whether you’re growing
in soil or water, a
clean source of water
is required to grow
healthy plants. Water
with added chemicals,
such as public tap water
with fluoride, would
upset the balance. Well
water also works in
hydroponic systems as
long as the pH levels
are monitored closely.
Regularly test water and
soil pH levels for the
best results.
Get settled. Regulating
indoor factors like
heat, humidity and
CO2 keep plants alive.
CO2 that plants use
during photosynthesis
is important so exhaust
fans and air filtration
systems are critical.
Supplemental CO2 can
be added to indoor
systems with mushroom
bags or natural gas
burners.
Feed and repeat. Plants
grown indoors will need
an extra boost since
most of the nutrients
in the soil or growing
medium are quickly
eaten by the roots. Good
sources of fertilizer
facilitate the needs
of the indoor garden.
Choose organic if you’re
growing vegetables.
5.
Get to the root of it. A
healthy root zone is the
key to strong plants.
Well-draining soil or
soil-less mix allows
oxygen to flow through.
When combined with
air pumps, stones and
diffusers, your system
will be complete.
What’s next? Get started
growing. Almost anything
can be grown in your
indoor garden as long as it
eventually doesn’t outgrow
your space. However,
consider growing plants with
similar light, humidity and
watering needs together.
From hydroponic food
production to small space
gardening solutions,
Sunlight Supply products
for gardeners of all levels
are available online and
at Homestead Gardens
Davidsonville Modern
Homesteading department.