How to Garden Indoors with Grow Lights –
With a UV grow light you can have year-round gardening indoors. From herbs to vegetables that take up little space, you can grow your own fresh produce from the convenience of your home, INSIDE. You can also get a head start on seedlings for your outdoor garden for transplanting later, saving on purchasing plants from a nursery or garden center.
Grow Lights Can Be Pretty
Strategically placing your grow lights can also add to the ambiance and decor of your home. If you worry about cluttering your house with tacky looking lights and cords, check out these options below. Many grow lights can be added to your home and actually accentuate the natural light and add more class than the indoor grow light traditions you grew up with.
How To Hang No Hardware Grow Lights
I added these hanging grow lights inside my windows to add more sun. Even though sunlight does come in these west facing windows, there is not enough to grow any vegetables or herbs as these type of plants need at least 8 hours of direct sunlight. The light aligns with with window frame so that it is more discreet and is the perfect distance from the window box and plants.
The sheer curtains are more forward on one tension curtain rod and the grow light is hanging on another tension curtain rod further back so that I can close the lightweight curtain in front with just enough space. I love how it feels like the sun is coming in when the lights are on.
I was so happy with how quick and easy it was to hang these grow lights in my windows. It took me months to actually hang these up as I was trying to decide on the best way to hang them. Once I figured out that I could just hang them on tension curtain rods (duh), they were up in no time!
There are some other fun choices for grow lights too. These cool, portable, adjustable stick growing lamps really embellish your indoor plants. They have a timer switch that is so easy to figure out. I have loved using these in our camper van too! They add a fun flair and are quite pretty.
Window Boxes for your Indoor Garden
Look for window boxes to fit on your window sills for your indoor garden. For maximum planting space I chose the longest window box. 30″ x 7″ is the perfect size for my windows. You can also choose to go with individual pots if you want to transplant them later which would be easier and less stressful for the plant. However, I plan to keep mine indoors.
Potting Soil for your Indoor Garden
Potting soil is what you want to use in any kind of pot planting as it gives your plants the right amount of nutrients to grow and good drainage materials. I usually put small rocks in the bottom to give the roots space if over watering is overdone. Really, any kind of potting soil will do, but if you live in a dry area you may want some that retains water better or if you are in a humid area, just the opposite. If you do keep your plants indoors and don’t plan to transplant, you will also want to use a fertilizer once in awhile as per instructions.
I use these Osmocote granules.
Seeds for your Indoor Garden
The seeds you choose to plant for your indoor garden are completely up to what you like to eat. However, plants that take up a smaller amount of space will be easier to accommodate inside. I like to plant for health, variety and space. I typically always grow a pole bean. Bush beans grow out, pole beans grow up which give more space for more plants in the pot. However, if you don’t want to worry about supporting a vine, then go with the bush bean. I usually just use two long wooden dowels with a rubber band to tie at the top and wrap it up like a bush. Your choice. I always have radishes, spinach and beets as well. Herbs I have are cilantro and chives.
Rolling Rack of Grow Lights
If you are hoping to start seedlings indoors for many plants to get a head start on your outdoor garden then you may want something bigger. If you also don’t want to rely on nurseries for your plants, AND you want the satisfaction of starting your own from scratch, then you may want a rolling cart for your indoor garden. Typical plants you may want to start early include tomatoes and peppers as well as cool weather crops like lettuces so you don’t have to constantly watch the weather and temperatures.
If you have not started seeds indoors to transplant outside before, remember to help your plants adjust to the outside elements gradually to give them time to create the chemical compounds they need to thrive. Incidentally, this process also gives them more nutritional value for your health!
Square Foot Gardening for Indoors
I have been square foot gardening for a few decades now in a few different states. I highly recommend this way of gardening for any kind of garden and especially for in your small, indoor garden. My largest square foot garden was 20 blocks consisting of 4’x’4 squares of plantings with pavers between. The main advantage for this type of gardening is saving space and companion planting. This book is a must if you want the best knowledge for getting the most out of gardening in small spaces and for efficient maintenance. Less space means less time weeding and less waste in water and soil.
in the Ground
