How to start your first indoor garden

How to start your first indoor garden

For many people, the effects of the pandemic have been devastating and at the same time revealing as to the fragility of the food supply chain. This has become evident when we see empty shelves in shops and supermarkets, making us aware of something we took for granted. But everything has positive aspects and in this case, one of them is that some people have started to grow mini gardens in their gardens.

However, not everyone is lucky enough to be able to grow their own garden. Most people living in cities do not even have a small plot of land to sow some seeds, and the gardens of houses and residential complexes do not have enough light, not to mention that municipal regulations often prohibit growing anything other than grass and some ornamental flowers.

On the other hand, not all climates are conducive to growing edible vegetables or other vegetables that we normally use in our meals. However, if despite these obstacles mentioned above, you would like to start growing or at least take care of a few aromatic plants that can provide you and your family with a fresh product to include in your meals, here are some useful tips.

The advantages of an indoor garden

First of all, you should know that it is a very entertaining activity because you see step by step how a little seed you have planted grows, strengthens and produces leaves that you can eventually add to your meals. This brings great satisfaction and connection with what the earth gives us.

By having small pots with some plants in your kitchen, you can control the temperature, light and other variables necessary for successful germination and to have some vegetables and herbs throughout the year, free of pests or diseases.

How to prepare and set up your indoor garden

1. Make room for your plants. You can clear out a table, a windowsill, a hallway, or even the corner of a room. If space is a concern, you can consider a vertical stand that can hold several small pots. The space you need depends on what you want to plant and how much. Conversely, the choice of plants and the quantities will depend on how much space you have available.
2. Plants grown indoors should have access to plenty of light during the day. If there is not enough light through windows and skylights, you will need to connect artificial lights to the place where the plants are growing.
3. The plants are very fragile, especially during the early stages of growth, while others can be dangerous if not consumed properly, so they should be kept in a place out of reach of pets and small exploring children.

Necessary tools for an indoor garden

1. Flower pots or planters

For indoor gardens, there are the typical small pots, but there are also ceramic, clay, plastic (you can use used water bottles and cut them) or others, even porcelain. You can also use aluminum containers used for the oven and old pots.

The only conditions that these containers must have are that they can hold the substrate (soil used for planting) and that they have enough holes (or that the necessary holes can be added) at the bottom to allow efficient drainage. A drainage plate is also useful to collect the water that flows through the holes.

The size of the pot will depend on what you plant in it. Herbs like oregano and basil won't need to be larger than 8-12 inches, while potted spinach or naranjilla will require 5-10 gallons. Figure out the size of the plant in proportion to the pot: sometimes you'll need to repot a couple of times to a larger and larger pot as your plant grows.

 

2. Substrate for pots

Unless you're exploring hydroponics or aeroponics, you're going to need good quality soil for your grow to be successful. The soil needs to provide the plant with support, oxygen access to the roots, moisture retention (not too dry or too wet), and nutrients.

Please note that,

• The substrate soil must be fertile and nutritious for the plant;
• The environment where it is located must be very similar to the original ecosystem of the plant you are planting.
• It must maintain the specific humidity of the plant.
• A good substrate mix is ​​recommended for the plant to grow strong and healthy.
• It is necessary to renew the soil and add fertilizer since the nutrients and quality of the substrate have a limited life.

Basic materials to form a good substrate mix:

Universal substrate or black soil sold in nurseries or garden stores. This would be the support for the plant since it is often not the most efficient for retaining water and oxygenating, but it is able to direct and offer the ideal environment for the development of your plant.

Coconut fiber is a very spongy and light organic substrate, easy to transport, which allows the plant roots to stay hydrated and oxygenated.

The other base option is homemade compost , but it must be sifted so that there are no residues that will interfere with the plant's growth process.

In order to increase drainage and oxygenation of the plant, perlite (small white stones, like gravel) is used. Although it does not provide nutrients, it is worth mixing it with another ingredient that does provide nutrition to the plant.

Vermiculite is a water-retaining mineral that is used in very small quantities to maintain plant moisture. The advantage is that it provides iron and magnesium, but it should not be considered a "sole" fertilizer because it does not contain many of the other nutrients that the plant needs for its development.

The fertilizer or food for the substrate can be worm humus, which is widely used to provide nutrients to your growing plant. There is no problem in using too much of it and it can be obtained in gardening stores.

There are different ratios when preparing the substrate, but here I recommend one that seems to work well when starting a garden with some pots in your kitchen:

You can make the mixture in a large tray by adding the materials as follows,

• 60% mix of universal substrate (soil), coconut fibre and/or compost, they can be mixed or just one of them can be used. 60% would be equivalent to 6 out of 10 handfuls of substrate, for example, being this base.
• 40% worm humus, that is, of the 10 handfuls mentioned, 4 will be worm humus.
• 10% perlite, which will help oxygenate the soil, retain moisture and prevent it from compacting. If you can't get it, a little bit of gravel will prevent it from forming lumps.
• Vermiculite will help retain the moisture needed by the plant. It can be added to the substrate mix, or once the mix is ​​made and the pot is filled, you can cover the surface with vermiculite. When you water the plant, the vermiculite will trap the water and hold it.

3. The ideal lighting for indoor gardens

Indoor plants definitely need light to grow robustly and produce nutritious food. Considering that the plants are indoors, natural light from windows and glass doors is best as it does not require additional light for optimal plant growth.

In tropical countries and during spring and summer in both hemispheres, windows facing east and west provide the most light.

If indoor light is scarce and you don't have a window that will get enough light for your plants, you'll need some artificial light. Most experienced gardeners recommend full-spectrum lights, as they preserve the same color range as the sun and are ideal for seedbeds. These lights come in two varieties: LEDs and fluorescents. In this case, it's best to avoid incandescent lights, as they get very hot and can burn your plants, and they also consume a lot of electricity.

4. Irrigation

Plants need water to live and it depends on the relative humidity in their indoor space, which will require more or less water compared to when they are growing outside. Pay attention to the state of the plant, in case it is dehydrating or if it has too much water. The leaves of the plant are often the first to show if it is lacking water.

Typically to water your indoor plants you will need a watering can with a spout or spout to easily control the amount of water.

5. Finally, the seeds

Try to get organic seeds if possible. Since you are growing them away from potential pests and diseases, you won't need any chemical pesticides or antibiotics, so you're sure to get top quality.

What to grow

Green leafy vegetables, the 5 most popular

Of the 5 quickest crops to start in an indoor mini-garden, of course, the top one is lettuce, which will be able to offer its first leaves in about 30 days without having to cut the plant. In any case, depending on where it is located, they are sometimes attacked by snails, especially when they are very small.

Swiss chard is another plant that grows easily, as although it prefers temperate climates, it adapts to more extreme ones without any problem. In about 50 days you can start harvesting the largest and outer leaves in a row. It is a strong plant that does not require too much care.

Arugula is another plant that is easy to grow and adapts well to small, semi-shaded spaces. It can be grown throughout the year and its leaves will be available after 40 days of cultivation. Always try to pick the leaves that are the largest.

Spinach leaves, like lettuce and chard, can be harvested in about 40 days. Always try to cut off the outer, larger leaves so that the smaller ones have time to grow and strengthen.

Garlic, which is used continuously in cooking, can be kept on hand permanently. Although garlic can take 8 to 9 months, there is the option of growing it tender. This is achieved by taking the whole garlic and removing the dried shell, then growing it in a pot and in a short time its stems can be consumed both raw and cooked.

Aromatic

Aromatic plants are easy to grow, do not need much space and grow well at room temperature (between 18-23ºC). Some of the aromatic plants that do best indoors are thyme, mint, rosemary, basil, chives, coriander and parsley.

Sprouts

Sprouts don't even require substrate. Some seeds can be germinated in containers with mesh covers or even on kitchen napkins.

Indoor gardening can be your new hobby, however, it depends on the time and space you decide to dedicate to it, and it requires a small investment.

For many people who don't have a suitable natural space, an indoor garden is a great alternative. So, if you've been thinking about having your own plants and supplying them, there's almost no limit. But don't be overwhelmed by all the options, because if you start by taking care of a small aromatic plant and taking leaves for your recipes and drinks, that's fine, especially because it's your food and you've put your attention and care into making it the healthiest.