How to Grow Your Own Vegetables With No Yard

You can grow your own tomatoes indoors

You can grow your own vegetables indoors if you do not have access to space for a typical garden. Indoor gardening provides several benefits over outdoor gardens. Vegetables grown in containers indoors are less susceptible to the diseases and insects that attack in ground plants. Indoor gardeners can produce vegetables indoors in the winter, something that is not possible in areas susceptible to snowy winters.

Things You'll Need

• Container
• Potting soil
• Vegetable seeds
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Pick an area for your vegetable container that receives light, such as a windowsill or balcony. Note that the amount of sunlight in the area may determine the type of vegetables you can grow successfully. Root vegetables thrive in shaded areas, but fruiting vegetables need at least 5 hours of direct sunlight. If you choose a windowsill, pick one that is sunny and facing south.

2. Purchase a container from a garden store, or create one from containers you may already have, such as a milk jug or wooden crate. The container must be big enough to contain the soil and roots of the vegetables when it is fully grown. It must also have holes at the bottom for drainage and must not have contained any materials that are toxic to plants. Check to see that the container will fit in the area you have selected for its placement.

3. Pour potting soil into the container, up to ½ inch from the top edge. Sprinkle the seeds onto the soil, spacing them according to the directions on the package. Cover the seeds with soil as directed by the package directions. Plant the seeds at the time of year recommended by the seed producer for best results.

4. Water the seeds gently to avoid creating an overflow and displacing the seeds. Use just enough water to make the soil moist. Thereafter, water the growing plants twice a day. Pour water until it begins to run out of the drainage holes.

5. Apply a fertilizer to the soil every three weeks to help your plants grow. If your potting soil contains fertilizer, do not begin fertilizing until after the first 10 weeks.

6. Check the plants regularly as they develop for possible infestation. Look for signs of the diseases and insects that typically affect the type of vegetables you have planted. Move your plants to sheltered areas during the hottest part of the day and during severe weather.

References

• Virginia Tech: Vegetable Gardening in Containers
• Colorado State University: Grow Your Own Tomatoes Indoors This Winter