There are not many things in life that can beat the joy of growing your own food. This lifestyle choice is rewarding and can allow you to enjoy pesticide-free fresh and flavourful home-grown fruits and veggies every day.
If you live in an apartment and think you don’t have adequate space to grow plants indoors, we are here to prove you wrong. Gardening is not a luxurious hobby, exclusively practised by people with plenty of outdoor space. It can be enjoyed by anyone.
The excitement of growing your own food in the compact space of a small apartment is surprisingly feasible and rewarding. If you are looking for options to cultivate a mini indoor garden, read on!
Bring in these tropical perennials—pepper plants thrive in full sun and warm weather. Since they self-pollinate, pepper plants can be sustained indoors. These plants require plenty of light—expose them to maximum sunlight during the day—and require a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Grow them in pots or containers with a height of at least 8 inches, and water the plants only when the soil is dry.
Green onions grow exceedingly well indoors and are low maintenance. They don't need as much natural light as other veggies do. You can either sow the seeds or replant the green onion’s root end.
This one will likely take you by surprise but potatoes (both regular and sweet) can be grown indoors from scraps. Take a sprouted potato, slice it into chunks, and place them on 4 inches of soil—sprout-side-up. Add 4 inches of soil over them and wait for about two months. Make sure you are growing potatoes in a large pot or container because they can grow quite large. In addition, you may even have to add more soil to the pot as your plant grows, to keep the potatoes covered.
Tomatoes love warm weather but don’t assume they will perish indoors. These plants require plenty of light—make sure they receive at least 14 hours of sunlight every day. Like hot peppers, tomato plants self-pollinate. However, you can help in the process, by shaking them—allowing the pollen to transfer from one flower to another. The smaller or dwarf varieties thrive better in containers, and the seeds germinate quickly.
Radishes are fast-producing veggies that can be grown in containers. They need 6 to 8 hours of exposure to direct sunlight, and fill the container with 6 inches of soil. Make sure the soil is loose and well-drained. Insert your finger in the soil and if it is dry to your first knuckle, water your plant until water starts seeping out of the bottom. Add fertilisers only before potting the seeds, and never afterwards. In just about a week, your plant will sprout—and you can enjoy your first harvest within 30 to 45 days.
Salad greens like basil, lettuce, arugula, spinach, red mustard, and chard and microgreens like broccoli, peas, and mustard greens, all grow fairly well indoors. These shallow-rooted plants grow rapidly.
You can grow these greens in containers with a depth of 2 to 4 inches only. They require well-drained and moist soil. Place the containers in a warm corner until the seeds sprout, and once they germinate, transfer them to a sunny spot where they receive plenty of sunlight.
The smaller or dwarf carrot varieties can be harvested indoors easily. They demand less space and germinate rapidly. Carrots don't need a lot of sunlight, 4 to 5 hours is adequate. Make sure your containers are deep enough—at least 12 inches. If you grow the plant in a shallow pot, the size of your carrots will be small. Top the seeds with peat moss, as they help retain the moisture. In just about two weeks, the seedlings will sprout and you can expect your first harvest within 40 days.
If you live in an apartment, don’t get disheartened so soon. It's time to get your green thumb working again to grow some indoor fruits and veggies.
