Have you ever wanted to grow a mini indoor garden? Now is a perfect time! Get inspired with some easy ideas; it’s a fun activity for the whole family and not too hard to do. You can grow indoor plants such as herbs, sprouts, microgreens, and even some vegetables! There are many kits, seeds and ways to begin using online resources Links are provided below to help you find the right elements but other options are available, let’s get started! By Alexx J. for The Adventures of Pili
Photo by Huy Phan
You’ll Need:
-A designated area to keep the plants
-A spot with sunlight or artificial lights
-A surface or shelves
-Supplies from links based on what you’d like to grow
-Some creativity & imagination
Herbs
Photo by Buenosia Carol
Herbs can be easy to grow indoors because they don’t require too much space for their roots and they produce ready to eat herbs pretty quickly. Many herbs can be cut and will continue to regrow leaves once they’re trimmed. Some of the best herbs to grow inside are basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, sage, rosemary, thyme, dill, mint, and lavender. The kit below holds 10 plants, all you need are the seeds and some soil to start. This kit does offer smart soil pods designed for each herb, so you can purchase the pods and place your seeds directly into them. The pods are full of nutrients so you won’t need plant food and the planter has a self-watering system, so it’s easy to grow amazing herbs!
Photo by stux–12364
- Indoor Herb Planter
- Smart Soil Pods
- Organic Herb Seeds (many varieties!)
- (If not using pods) Soil
- (If not using pods) Plant Food
Photo by gate74–5942741
Sprouts
Photo by Dominika Roseclay
There are several varieties of sprouts that don’t take more than a week from seed to harvest! They are nutritious, fun to grow, delicious in flavor & texture, and can be added to many meals like sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Sprout seeds are inexpensive and can be grown in seed trays, no soil needed but a spray bottle for water is helpful! You’ll start by soaking the seeds, laying them out in the proper tray which is raised so the roots have room to grow. As the roots grow, you’ll fill the bottom of the tray with water and spritz the seedlings with water from the top. Within a week or so, you’ll have sprouts ready to cut or pull right out to enjoy. Some seed tray kits come with seeds and instructions, supplies listed below:
- 4 Trays w. Shelf Stand
- Spray Water Bottle
- Organic Alfalfa Sprout Seeds
- Organic Clover Sprout Seeds
- Organic Bean Sprout Seeds
- Organic Radish Sprout Seeds
Photo by Zdenek Rosenthaler
Vegetables
Depending on what kind of veggie you are trying to grow inside, not intended to ever be placed outdoors, you’ll need seeds, proper lighting, soil, and plant food. You may require additional supplies such as small stakes to allow plants to grow upwards, cord to help them stay standing as they grow heavier and spray bottles for watering. You’ll want pots with drainage holes in the bottom and a tray for the water to drain into. Cherry tomatoes, small spicy peppers, and lettuces are all great plants that you can grow indoors. The advanced planter listed below holds 10 plants and has a built-in LED light, adjustable height so you can move it up as they grow, timer for the light, smart soil pods, and self-watering system with proper drainage. You’ll need to buy seeds, but the smart soil pods are designed to nurture each specific seed as it grows. Each pod is full of nutrients so you won’t need plant food, you just place the seed inside & watch them grow! This kit is the best for starters and you’ll learn how the plants each grow and what they individually need to be their best. You can choose to skip the smart soil and opt for regular soil and plant food, but this planter is the ultimate way for beginners to get the hang of indoor vegetable growing!
Photo by Pexels–2286921
- Indoor Vegetable Planter:
Tip: Remember you will need a drainage hole if you opt for an elevated wood planter box like this one. Fill the bed with up to 2 bags of soil and protect plants from drowning with a drainage hole on each end.
Photo by Jessica Lewis
By: Alexx J. for The Adventures of Pili. This is the latest post in the Pili´s Explorers Cookbook conceived by Kike Calvo and the team of The Adventures of Pili, which profiles interesting information, research, and thoughts on nutrition and food around the world for families and kids. Click here to read the previous article.
Banner Photo by Free-Photos–242387