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Plan Your Indoor Gardens Now

By: Eric Vinje Published: 13 Aug, 12 Updated: 22 May, 18

Indoor Gardens The days are getting shorter and there’s plenty of late summer chores to be done outside. But it’s also the time to start planning your indoor garden for fresh, winter harvests. The bounty you’re enjoying now from you outdoor garden will be sorely missed once the frost forms and the snow flies. But if you plan now, you can enjoy fresh greens, herbs — even tomatoes! — from a carefully planned indoor winter garden. Or maybe you just want to brighten your indoor environment during the cold dark months with beautiful indoor plants or flowers. And, planning now, allows you to take advantage of off-season special deals when buying the containers, indoor grow lights, and hydroponic supplies you’ll need. Starting now means you can surprise your holiday guests with fresh salads and herbs despite the winter wonderland.

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Now you can enjoy growing indoors all year long! At Planet Natural, we’ve carefully selected only the best indoor gardening supplies — from lighting and hydroponics to growing mediums — to make your indoor growing experiences blossom.

Here’s where planning begins:

Pick a Spot

You’ll want your indoor gardening location to be convenient to water and, if needed, electricity ( a dangerous mix… be sure to follow all safety precautions when using electricity around water, the first one being KEEP THEM SEPARATE!). But the most important aspect is light. You’ll need at least six hours of strong sunlight for your plants to be productive. If that’s not possible — and most places, it isn’t — start investigating grow light systems. Choose a place where temperatures will remain fairly consistent. And don’t forget ventilation and air circulation. Plants need a fresh supply of oxygen for healthy growth and to resist molds and fungus.

Containers

Will you grow a modest number of plants in pots on a rack? Will you want a long trough for a constant supply of lettuce? Are you looking to grow enough basil to give as gifts? Consider what hydroponic systems will match your needs and location. There are small efficient, aeroponic systems for the indoor gardener that provide impressive results and ease of operation. How much you want to grow will determine what kind of grow containers you will use.

What to Grow

Cool weather crops with short growing seasons — lettuce, kale, spinach and other greens — generally work best indoors. Cherry tomatoes are easier to grow than beefsteaks. Consider your culinary needs and desires then consult seed catalogs and local retailer for the best choices. Growing herbs indoors will not only give your winter cooking a gourmet touch but will add beauty and interest to any indoor gardening area. What you grow will have an impact on all your indoor planning.

There are plenty of guides out there that will help you get your indoor winter garden started. Planet Natural is also an experienced and valuable source of information — give us a call and we can help. Now’s the time to start planning if you want to harvest glowing yellow pear tomatoes and mesclun in February, or just to have the comfort of green plants thriving in your home all winter long.

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Eric Vinje

Eric Vinje founded Planet Natural with his father Wayne in 1991, originally running it as a grasshopper bait mail-order business out of a garage.

Eric is now retired, but is still a renowned gardener known for his expertise in composting, organic gardening and pest control, utilizing pesticide-free options, such as beneficial insects.

Eric believes when you do something good for the environment, the effects will benefit generations to come.