People who live in apartments or those in houses with no garden or a small one may wish to grow their own vegetables and feel like there are no options available for them.
In reality, there are several different types of vegetables/herbs you can grow with container gardening. Here’s a short list:
- Tomatoes
- Hot peppers
- Cucumbers
- Potatoes
- Squash
- Carrots
- Radishes
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Salad greens
- Various herbs
- Arugula
- Peas
As you can see, you’re spoiled for choice. Now let’s look at the equipment you’ll need to grow your very own vegetables.
What you’ll need
* Seedling starter trays
You’ll need seedling starter trays. It’s much easier to make seeds germinate in these trays than just planting them in a pot. The trays are usually smaller and can be placed on a window sill to give them sunlight.
This is far easier to do than having to carry a pot and balance it on the sill. Those who live in apartments will not want to risk placing a pot on their window sill. The trays are fantastic.
The trays also have drainage holes so that excess water will not collect in the trays. The humidity dome covering the tray will trap heat and keep the soil warm for seeds that need heat to germinate.
* Grow bags
Instead of using plastic pots, you’d do better off using grow bags which have many more advantages such as better drainage, aeration, portability, etc.
It’s easier to use grow bags. With the handles, it’s easier to move it around the house to wherever sunlight is coming in… and later move it back.
If you’re growing potatoes, carrots, onions, etc. you’d do well to get the ANPHSIN 10-Gallon Potato Grow Bags. The flap at the front of the bag will provide easier irrigation and you can monitor the growth of the tubers and bulbs more easily.
Don’t forget to use a gardening saucer under each grow bag. It’ll help to collect water and your floor will not get damaged from soaking up the water.
If you’re growing herbs or smaller plants, you may wish to use a stackable vertical garden. This type of planter will save you a lot of space and you can grow up to 15 types of herbs/vegetables.
It’s important to note that the vertical garden is made of plastic and will not be easily portable. Unlike a grow bag, you’ll not be able to carry it around. The best way to get around this problem will be to use LED grow lights which you can shine on the plants.
You’ll not need to move the plants to the sunlit spot daily. Alternatively, you could use a hanging vertical wall planter. You could hang it on the apartment wall that gets sunlight, or if you live in a house, hang it on a fence or wall outside.
This too is a space saver and allows you to grow different plants in a small space.
* Potting soil
While you could use your garden soil, it’s a good idea to use the Miracle Gro Indoor Potting Mix. It’s perfect for container gardening.
If you’re looking for an alternative, the FoxFarm Ocean Forest organic soil is fantastic, though a bit pricier. If you have the budget for it, choose this mix over the Miracle Gro mix.
* Seeds
It’s best to get seeds that are packaged. Trying to use seeds from the vegetables you got at the supermarket may save you a few dollars, but it’s not a recommended way to go about it.
You can find seeds for most of the vegetables mentioned above by doing a quick search on Amazon. For example, if you’re looking for salad greens, click here.
See! It’s as simple as that. Or you could just get this Heirloom Vegetable Garden Seed Collection. It has seeds for: carrots, onion, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, basil, sweet peppers, beets, kale, jalapenos, lettuce, peas, squash and cantaloupe.
Most of these can be grown in containers. So you’re pretty much set.
The items mentioned in this article are more than enough for you to get started with growing your own vegetables indoors. As long as your plants get the sunlight (or LED light) and nutrients they need, along with sufficient water, they’ll thrive and you’ll soon have your very own homegrown veggies. Amazing!
