Chances are, if you have a backyard, you have some form of garden. Maybe you choose to cultivate flowers; perhaps you have a raised bed full of fresh fruits and veggies.
With fall upon us, many people are bringing what they can indoors to survive the winter. Others may prefer to stay indoors and are interested in starting an indoor garden.
If it’s your first time considering an indoor garden and you aren’t sure what you need or where to start, keep reading for all the essentials.
1. Containers
First things first, you can’t garden anything indoors without containers! Sure, outdoors, you can go as wild or contained as you want, but inside you’ll need designated containers for your garden.
From food grade, five-gallon buckets to something more sophisticated, your choice or budget will determine your container types.
Along with the literal containers, you’ll want an area of your home that will “contain” your garden. Clear boundaries help keep pets and children away and ensure a healthy garden with plenty to harvest.
2. Soil
Providing your plants with healthy soil is a given in any garden, indoors or out. However, indoor gardens benefit from the highest quality soil possible as they are sometimes more difficult to cultivate.
Go organic if you can, and make sure you pick out fertilizer to add to your water to keep your indoor garden healthy and thriving.
3. Lighting
You’re likely a pro when it comes to the perfect indoor lighting with beautiful floor and table lamps, but when it comes to indoor gardening, it’s a different ballgame.
Investing in high-quality fertilizers and harvest lights are a must. You may have had success with herbs growing just fine on a kitchen windowsill, but natural lighting won’t cut it if you’re looking to garden something more substantially indoors.
Whether you’re starting from seeds or plants, your light setup will make or break the success of your indoor garden.
4. Tools of the Trade
We’re always more set up for success when we have the right tools in our toolkit. Gardening indoors is no different, so you’ll want some basic tools of the trade at home to ensure success.
Just because you’re not outside doesn’t mean you don’t want a pair of gloves to protect your hands and any fine jewelry you wear on them.
You’ll also want a quality watering can; a long-neck watering can is preferable as you can be more intentional with where you water.
You’ll also find that a pair of scissors come in handy for trimming back necessary parts of plants and removing ripened fruits and vegetables.
If you’re doing a simple herb garden, scissors let you get precisely the right fresh herbs needed while cooking.
5. Cache Pots
Though we covered the basic necessity for containers early on, some indoor gardeners are always looking for ways to add some sophistication to their garden.
Cache pots are a beautiful way to hide ugly or plain plastic plant containers. Indoor gardeners often purchase them in beautiful and elaborate designs or shades of their favorite color and colors that match the existing decor in the home.
Cache parts can elevate the appearance of your indoor garden in an affordable way.
6. Plant Stands
Another essential item for your indoor garden is plant stands. Indoor gardens can quickly take over a space, so keeping things neat and organized is essential.
Plant stands are typically wooden and an easy way to keep plants with one another.
As different plants require different light amounts or watering frequency, plant stands that group the same or similar plants takes the guesswork out for the gardener and ensures all plants grow and produce as intended.
Your indoor gardening needs may grow or change over time as you will learn through trial and error what works for you and the type of plants you’re interested in growing.
You may realize you need a trellis; perhaps you prefer to grow hanging tomatoes and need a hanging basket. You may prefer using a handheld sprayer to a tincture when applying pesticides to keep bugs at bay.
However, if you use the above items as your starting point for the garden, you’ve won half the battle. Now, get growing!
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