These days we can get anything growing in our indoor gardens as discussed in our guide to apartment gardening, obviously not the ones growing to full majesty in nature outside still a wide variety of plants form the indoor list. Our guide to plant selection explains in detail that we should choose plants which we like to eat as that will be motivating as well as fun to grow. It would be advisable to consider small plants that grow fast, below are few suggestions which may work well:
Herbs: Few herbs like mint, parsley, basil, thyme etc are the best to start with. These herbs don’t get big and bushy in containers however they grow well indoors. It’s a treat to have them close while cooking as most of them add flavours and are medicinal. These herbs are sturdy, easy to grow and produce effortlessly.- Salads: This is the variety we need on a daily basis. Lettuce, arugula and spinach are the most common salads we consume daily. Mostly salads are easy to grow, produce quickly and their roots are shallow. While growing salads you may have to manage your water sources as they need good watering.
- Tomato: Tomatoes are a hot favourite every gardener desires. Tomatoes need bigger containers as the plant gets heavy and large as it grows. Few varieties of tomatoes such as cherry tomatoes can be grown in hanging baskets which are ideal for appartments. There are few other patio varieties of tomatoes which you can experiment with considering the climate and available resources.
Peppers: Hot peppers grow well in containers throughout the year. They are spicy and add flavour to your food. Most of our food contain pepper as it has health benefits too. - Lemons: Lemons add beauty to your garden they are easy to grow just like other citrus dwarf trees. They need good sunlight and humidity hence it is appropriate to grow them on roof tops or windowsill.
- Strawberries: Strawberries are delicious and beautiful. They grow well in containers under good sunlight. Strawberries are easy to grow and are favourites with many.
Watering is very essential in every garden, may it be outdoor or indoor. In containers the soil tend to dry quickly hence watering is required even if the container is exposed to rain. Plants need more water during summers hence they should be watered as soon as the soil surface appears dry.
The indoor plants are normally planted in containers hence the supply of nutrition is limited. These plants need a constant dose of fertilizers to grow and produce. It is very important to feed the right amount of fertilizer at the right time hence a strict schedule should be followed. It would be best to seek guidance for using appropriate fertilizer and its quantity.
While growing plants indoor we attract lots of insects and pest, however it gets difficult to get rid of them as their natural predator may not follow them indoor. It is very important to closely monitor your plants while you attend them for watering or harvesting. The best way to control diseases is to prevent them or contain them during their initial days. Once you notice any issue with the plant it would be better to move that plant away from other healthy ones as the pests or diseases may easily transfer.
Each plant needs to be harvested as it produces as the more you harvest the more your plant will produce in ideal conditions. Some gardeners like to harvest when the plant is full of produce but this is not a good practice.