How to Start an Indoor Garden

So you’ve decided to grow an indoor garden. That’s awesome! But as you’ve probably realized, there are many ways to go about it and numerous choices around how and what to grow.

At this stage, you have some important decisions to make. While it may be tempting to jump in immediately, a little planning can save you from making unnecessary mistakes down the road.

A small amount of research upfront can drastically improve your chances of success, so if that’s your goal, you’re in the right place!

Side note: In addition to this blog, download a copy of our free eBook. It contains how-to guides for common edible plants you can grow at home and is a great resource for future reference. Get your free copy below.

What is Edible Indoor Gardening?

Before we explain how to start your edible indoor garden, it’s important to understand how this differs from other types of gardening:

• EDIBLE gardening means growing food. Edible plants grow much quicker than non-edible (decorative) plants and need much more light—5-10 times more.
• INDOOR gardening means not doing this outside. This implies 1) less space, so space optimization is important, 2) less light, and 3) less exposure to weather, making year-round gardening conceivable.

The Fundamentals of Any Garden - And How To Manage Them Indoors

As you may recall from high school biology, all plants have basic requirements: food (nutrients), water, and light.

Substrates for Indoor Gardening

Many think plants need soil to grow, but this is not true. Plants need something to support their roots and a system for delivering water and nutrients. Soil is one way to provide these, but not the only way.

Hydroponics, a technique for growing plants without soil, is popular for indoor gardening because it is space-efficient and less messy.

Benefits of Hydroponic Growing

Hydroponics relies on a water reservoir enriched with nutrients, allowing plants to water themselves as needed. Soil requires more work for watering.

Benefits of Soil-based Growing

Soil supports a wider variety of plants. It can be dry or wet, sandy or peaty, free-draining or water-holding. This diversity means soil can grow a wider range of plants.

Learn more about these two growing methods in this article.

Lighting for Indoor Gardening

Light is crucial. You have two main options:

1. Natural Light: You need at least 4-6 hours of direct, unobstructed natural light daily for edible plants. Intensity and duration can vary with seasons.
2. Grow Lights: Although they come at a cost, grow lights offer flexibility and reduce dependency on natural light.

Learn more about grow lights in our Indoor Gardening Intro blog.

Step 1: Decide What You Are Going To Grow Indoors

Now that you know the basics, let’s move on to starting your indoor garden.

First, decide what seeds to grow indoors. We recommend these beginner-friendly herbs:

1. Basil
2. Dill
3. Mint
4. Chives
5. Oregano
6. Cilantro

Some vegetables can be grown indoors too, especially dwarf/compact cultivars:

1. Peppers
2. Tomatoes
3. Leafy Salad Greens
4. Radishes
5. Microgreens

Learn more about what plants to grow in your indoor garden here.

Step 2: Select Your Pot or Planter

Selecting the right pot or planter is crucial. If you’re new to indoor gardening, we recommend starting with soil rather than hydroponics. Soil is more forgiving and cheaper.

When choosing a pot:

1. Ensure it has adequate drainage.
2. Match the pot size to your plant size.
3. Consider the material—plastic, wood, terracotta, or fabric—each has pros and cons discussed in this blog.

Step 3: Select A Potting Mix

Select or create a potting mix. Learn more about making your own potting mix and its basics in this blog. Here’s a summary:

Potting Mix	Compost
Used for starting seedlings or helping potted plants grow Can contain both inorganic and organic substances Usually modified to meet plant needs	Used to add nutrients to weak soil Usually made of organic materials

How To Make Potting Mix/DIY Potting Mix for Herbs and Vegetables

For Herbs:

• Peat moss/coco coir
• Compost
• Perlite
• Manure/worm castings

For Vegetables:

• Compost
• Peat moss
• Sand
• Perlite
• Bone meal
• Blood meal
• Ground limestone
• Kelp meal
• Worm castings

For a detailed list and instructions, click here.

Step 4: Additional Equipment

Here’s some additional equipment you’ll need to start your indoor garden:

1. Shears
2. Thermometer/Hygrometer
3. Plant stakes
4. Re-potting tarps
5. Organic granular fertilizer

Learn more about indoor gardening tool kit essentials here.

Step 5: Plant Your Garden In A Warm, But Not Hot Location

Temperature is key. Most seeds germinate around 60-80°F, but always check seed packet instructions. Many seeds stop germinating around 90-95°F, so ensure your indoor garden isn't too warm, especially during summer.

Step 6: Care and Maintenance

Caring for and maintaining your plants is crucial. Besides light, correct temperature, pots, and soil, plants need water. Indoor herbs, especially, should be watered regularly and never allowed to dry out. Ensure proper humidity and air circulation to prevent mildew.

For specific plant care, check these blogs here. Search "how to grow (plant name) indoors".

Step 7: Harvest

Finally, it's time to harvest your indoor garden. With a few well-timed snips, you can encourage your plants to continually produce.

Learn more about harvesting each specific herb or vegetable in our individual blogs here.

Indoor Garden Ideas For Small Spaces

Now that you’ve learned how to set up your indoor garden, here are some tips for maximizing space:

1. Use alternating canopy heights by placing short, wide plants next to tall, skinny ones, or using different pot/planter heights.
2. Go vertical with window shelves.

Read more about optimizing your small-space indoor garden here.

There you have it! We hope you got some great ideas for starting an indoor garden. For a more comprehensive guide, download our eBook on Edible Indoor Gardening.