Good Herb & Vegetable Plants for Indoor Gardens

Growing herbs indoors is both economical and convenient.

The indoor edible garden is a trend on the rise. As people find less outdoor space around city apartments, less time for tending suburban backyard plots and greater needs for safe, affordable produce, indoor growing solutions abound. Among them are self-contained hydroponic systems with built-in lighting, do-it-yourself self-irrigated planters, pots on sunny window sills and even vertical plant walls designed for raising your own salads. But choosing a system is just the first step. Plant selection is also important.

Basil

Sweet basil, one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors, grows well in good draining soil in a sunny window. As you constantly pinch off leaves to add to salads, sauces, homemade vinegars and other dishes, you are automatically pruning the plant. If you see flowers, snip them off at once to preserve flavor and prolong the plant's life. Harvest new leaves in the morning for the best flavor. And freeze what you can't use -- just wash and pat the leaves dry before putting the basil in the freezer. Or dry it hanging upside-down in bunches for use in winter soups and sauces.

Cilantro

Cilantro grows fine in a windowsill and can be expensive to buy in the store so it makes a great home herb plant. Cilantro must be absolutely fresh to be enjoyed and doesn't last long. Your indoor garden allows you to snip off just what you need per recipe and conserve the rest. Plant small, fat, green, plug plants in pots, one or two to a 6-inch pot or larger. Keep the plant watered but not soggy. Set the pots over a bed of stones in water to increase humidity without overwatering the plants.

Lettuce

Lettuce is ideal for indoor growing because it takes up very little space but is a repeat crop that you can seed at intervals and enjoy all season. Try the smaller varieties, like Buttercrunch lettuce, that have big flavor and melt-in-your-mouth leaves. Lettuce will need direct sunlight or grow lights, good draining soil and no drought conditions. Sow more seeds every two or three weeks to keep those salads coming.

Tomatoes

"Dwarf" and "mini" are the buzzwords for indoor tomatoes. Use smaller plants for easy-to-grow, sweet and abundant tomatoes inside your home. Patio, Tiny Tim and Small Fry are some of the easy, smaller cultivars. They will need a south-facing window with plenty of light. If the tomatoes don't receive enough strong light, you will get spindly plants, few or no flowers and no fruit. Roma are good tomatoes for indoor gardening as well. Roma and Small Fry can use medium-size pots or large hanging baskets. Upside-down tomato planters are another way to tuck more veggies into a small space. Use them for cherry tomatoes or the other small varieties. Turn the planters to receive light on all sides if they flank a window.

References

• Guide to Houseplants; How to Grow Basil Indoors
• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; AZ Master Gardener; Vegetable Garden: Container Garden