Indoor Winter Gardening

When we think of growing a flower garden or vegetable garden, the first things that come to our mind are land, fertile soil, light exposure, optimal temperature, water, etc. If you are not lucky enough to have spare land or fertile soil, then also you can grow plants in pots, or as a part of water gardening. And if the outdoor temperature is very cold which is not favorable for plant growth, you can go for indoor winter gardening. Likewise, gardening is such a wide aspect that can be proceeded under certain conditions.

Tips for Indoor Gardening over the Winter

With the arrival of cold winter months, many gardening enthusiasts are concerned about the extremely cold environmental condition. After all, most of the garden vegetables and flowering plants cannot tolerate freezing temperatures. In such a case, nothing could be a better idea than starting an indoor garden. You can grow culinary herbs right in the kitchen. Some of the essential factors about indoor winter gardening that you should be aware of are as follows.

Decide the Location
Since herbs and green vegetables require sunlight for healthy growing, the ideal location is the area that receives maximum filtered light. If available, a spot near a south facing window (or an east facing window) is excellent for indoor winter gardening. Careful picking of a correct site is suggested for indoor plants, so that they grow luxuriantly without supplementing artificial light.

Select Plant Varieties
Deciding which plants to grow in your indoor winter vegetable garden is one of the most challenging steps. This is because, not all vegetables are adapted to warm and humid conditions of the indoor rooms. Some herbs and vegetables that perform well in an indoor garden are pepper, tomato, bean, leaf lettuce, arugula, basil, ginger, etc. You can take advice from your horticulturist about the best plants for indoor winter garden.

Prepare Soil or Potting Mixture
In case you have a larger space, prepare a small raised bed lined with a plastic sheet. If you think it will be messy and difficult to maintain, proceed with container gardening. For both choices, you need to prepare healthy soil mixture with adequate amounts of humus, sand, loam, peat moss and farmyard compost. Adding humus forming soil components reduces the need for fertilizers.

Artificial Lighting System
Most of the leafy vegetables manage to grow in less light. Nevertheless, fruit veggies require artificial light for production of flower buds and fruiting bodies. You can consider installation of full spectrum lighting or daylight balanced lighting systems for your indoor winter gardening project. Also, check the plants periodically, and if require, relocate them to other areas.

Watering Indoor Plants
Planting the vegetables indoors does not mean that they do not require regular watering. The thumb rule for indoor gardening is to keep a watch over the amount of water used for irrigation. Prolonged dry condition causes withering of the vegetables, and waterlogged soil will result in root rotting. Irrigate the plants with room temperature water daily or on alternate days to keep the soil moist at all times.

Providing Plant Nutrients
When it comes to growing healthy vegetable indoors, using chemical fertilizer is not recommended. Instead you can select organic nutrients or compost for the slow growing houseplants. A better option is to use aquarium water (just before changing) to irrigate indoor vegetables. If you have grown tomatoes, add calcium rich plant food and reduce nitrogen fertilizers.

Other Plant Care Guidelines
Another factor that should be considered for indoor winter gardening is maintaining average temperature (preferably 16-26° F) for the houseplants. Also, indoor air circulation is a must to control plant problems. You should have a keen eye to detect signs of disease and pest infestations in the initial stages. For disease infested plants, isolate them and spray insecticidal soap after every few days.

Overall, indoor winter gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby. Plan ahead before the onset of winter and be ready with the required garden supplies. Follow the simple instructions for plant care according to the selected species, and you will be surprised with the growth of healthy vegetables right in your indoor garden.