How to Grow Indoor Gardens

Indoor gardens are a great way to bring a little beauty and functionality into your home. Whether you choose to grow an herb garden in your kitchen or a flower garden in a windowsill, indoor gardens give you the best of the gardening world without all the back breaking work.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pots
• Gravel or rocks
• Potting soil
• Seeds or seedlings
• Trowel or spoon
• Plant food
• Water

1. Assess the location for the garden. Choose a location or locations in your home for the garden. Observe the amount of sun in the area, along with any potential drafts. A shade loving plant will not thrive in a sunny windowsill, and certain plants are sensitive to cold or warm drafts of air. Also, make sure that your garden will not be disturbed by pets or children. This is both for the safety of the plant and your loved ones.

2. Choose your pots. Pots for planting gardens come in many sizes from tiny to extra large. Choose pots that will be able to accommodate your plants at maturity. Cluster pots of various sizes, or if you prefer a more uniform look, cluster pots of identical sizes together.

3. Prepare your pots. Add about an inch or two of gravel to each pot. If you are using a very small pot, this may not be necessary. Gravel provides drainage for the soil, and will help your plants stay healthy. Next, using your trowel or spoon, add soil to the pot leaving about 2 inches from the top of the pot open.

4. Add seeds or seedlings to the pots. To plant seeds, sprinkle them over the soil and cover them with another inch of soil. For seedlings, use your trowel or spoon to make a hole for the roots of the plants. Gently fill in the soil around the roots and add more soil to the top of the pot until the seedling is properly supported.

5. Water in your seeds or seedlings. The first time you water in seeds and seedlings, water them in thoroughly. Give the pot time to drain, and do not allow it to sit in standing water.

6. Maintain your plants as they grow. Rotate the pots so the plants get enough sunlight on all sides. This is essential to an indoor garden, as the plants do not have the benefit of the rising and setting sun to give light at all angles. Weed out any plants that look weak or scraggly, giving the healthier plants more room to grow. As the plants begin to mature, harvest them according to the directions on the seed packages or seedling instructions. Provide plant food according to the directions on the package.

7. Check your plants for disease and pests. Indoor gardens are much less prone to disease and insect infestations, however a routine check once a week will help you make sure that they are in the best health. In the event you find any disease or pests, contact your local nursery or home improvement store for the appropriate treatments.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a high quality potting soil to ensure healthy plants.
• Be sure to grow any toxic plants well out of reach of children and pets. Do not consume any parts of a plant that show disease.

[titas1040]

on 4/16/2009 I am doing this to with garden plants. Thanks for the info.