During a cost of living crisis where food prices are increasing due to inflation, it is always good to try and identify new ways we can cut costs. One way this can be done is by creating our own supply of vegetables and herbs.
The environment is now a major concern for people and by growing your own vegetables, herbs and plants, you will be able to make a difference and ensure you are making greener choices.
You might think of gardening and growing vegetables and plants as an outdoor activity, but in the cold winter months, this is very challenging. However, there are many ways you can bring gardening into your home and create your very own indoor garden.
Modern supermarkets do their best to transport and stock produce from around the globe during all four seasons, but it’s never quite the same as what comes from the backyard garden.
Luckily, you can actually cultivate some select plants and herbs indoors for your enjoyment year-round. From simple kitchen herb gardens with fresh Thai basil to indoor hydroponics systems growing leafy greens and succulent tomatoes, there are plenty of indoor gardening options to satisfy your taste for freshness without relying on the moods of Mother Nature.
Check out the graphic below to learn how you can start your own indoor garden.
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Do it Yourself Indoor Gardening: How to Save Money and be Green
With winter just around the corner, gardeners are wrapping up their summer efforts, preserving their harvests and preparing for the long, cold months to come. However, the growing season doesn’t have to stop just because outdoor conditions are too cold. There are plenty of ways to grow healthy, budget-friendly foods indoors throughout the winter (or any other time of year!).
Check out this guide to growing tasty eats indoors and adding style to your home in a green fashion.
Kitchen Gardening and Windowsill Herbs
Your kitchen is the perfect place to start gardening indoors. In fact, you’ll likely find yourself impulsively grabbing for fresh herbs to accompany your culinary creations!
- Home-grown green onions can be cultivated from the bottoms of their store-bought counterparts.
- You can also regrow romaine and bok choy – simply place the bottom of the heart in ½ inch of water, and place near sunlight.
- Several varieties of basil – Thai, Genovese and Italian – are perfect for indoor cultivation in a bright kitchen or windowsill.
- When trimmed carefully, rosemary can make a great addition as well.
- Round out your indoor herb garden with parsley, oregano, sage and thyme.
Create a Unique Herb Rack
Finding space to grow your own herbs in the kitchen can be difficult, but one way you can do this is to create a unique shelf or rack in the kitchen.
- Recycle old shutter panels or other wooden panels you might have in your home.
- You can paint these panels or leave them as they are and then hang your jars or containers that your herbs are grown in.
Hydroponics
Indoor gardening is addictive. Before you know it, the hooks will be in deep, and you’ll be shopping for your first set of hydroponics equipment,
- Hydroponics allow you to grow larger, more robust plants and vegetables than a simple kitchen garden.
- The world of hydroponics might seem complicated, but it can be as simple or complicated as you like. In fact, you can even buy all-in-one, automated setups and complete kits.
Grow Lights
Unless you use a complete hydroponics kit or all-in-one system, you’re going to need some grow lights. Here’s what you should know before you pull the trigger on a set of bulbs.
- Plants grow best in two spectrums: blue for vegetative growth, and red-orange for flowering/fruiting.
- There are many different types of grow lights available, but the mostly commonly used types are fluorescent, high intensity discharge (HID) and light emitting diodes (LED).
- Proper room temperature is also needed, as it is recommended to use a fan to simulate the natural breezes to strengthen the stem’s growth.
Unique Containers
Some folks march to the beat of their own drummer. Who says you have to plant your indoor garden in boring pots or traditional hydro gear? Check out these zany and clever planting methods.
- This upcycled project uses a salvaged shutter spruced up with a new coat of paint. The strategic placement of glass jars is both pleasing to the eye and efficient for space use and light distribution.
- Herbs, especially fasting growing kinds like cilantro, basil and thyme, will flourish in practically any container.
- Make sure your container has sufficient drainage, carefully drilling holes if necessary.
- Recycling is a big reason why we see so many unique containers. The possibilities are endless – you can reuse old soft drink bottles, to-go containers and more!
Create an Indoor Water Garden
Try something different by producing a unique and stylish indoor water garden. This will really make your home interior stand out and be a very impressive feature in any room.
- Repurpose an old jar or container, ensure they are thoroughly cleaned and then you can begin forming your own indoor water garden
- To create your indoor water garden you will need some small aquarium stones, some live plants, freshwater conditioner for aquariums, betta fish, water, a net, and a colander
- Some types of plants that thrive in an indoor water garden include cryptocoryne, wendtii, anubias and marimo moss balls.
Keep Growing
Don’t be limited by the norm. There are plenty of ways to garden indoors and enjoy a harvest of home-grown foods year-round.
Browse Pinterest, Twitter and other social sites for inspiration, and you can check out additional ideas for gardening in small spaces here: DIY Urban Gardening with Recycled Items
Image credits
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/onthewhiteline/8829561934
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksanford/482218944
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/andybeatty/2802085898
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/diwineanddine/4432258579
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/fayncbikerjaa/13103886284
- www.etsy.com/recycled-shutter-beach-herb-garden
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/eggrole/6446333851
