How To Grow An Organic Garden Indoors: 7 Simple Tips
Discover how to grow an organic garden indoors with these seven simple tips that will help you have a thriving garden no matter how black your thumb is.
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Learning how to grow an organic garden indoors doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need knowledge, enough space, organic non-GMO seeds, organic soil and organic fertilizer (if required). The seven tips in this guide will help you.
You’ve always aspired to have your own indoor organic garden, either because you enjoy it as a hobby or because you’ve always wanted to reduce the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that find their way into your body. Unfortunately, no one told you that nurturing plants is almost like nurturing a baby.
Like a first time mother, you find out you’re clueless and know nothing about these aliens you’ve invited into your home.
Luckily, you’re not alone. Even luckier, there are gardening classes you can take that will help you understand exactly what you need to do so you don’t kill your plants.
If you’re starting to worry, don’t. There are thousands of other distraught new gardeners seeking lasting solutions. The truth is that growing an organic garden indoors can be a daunting task if you’re just starting out and well, you don’t know where to start.
So, you’ll need to be a patient parent. The tips below will help you succeed.
RESOURCES: Why garden organically?
Tip #1: Select the plant you would love to grow in your organic garden indoors.
There are a number of plants you can grow in your organic indoor garden but choosing to grow an overwhelming amount of these when you’ve not done it before would be setting yourself up for a disaster. The first thing you will need to do is do some research and select the best organic plant you can grow in your indoor garden.
Limit yourself to one or two at a time.
Tip #2: You’re going to be having new housemates. It’s only best that you define space.
After selecting the plants you want to grow in your organic indoor garden, make sure you have the right amount of space needed to help them grow.
If they don’t have enough space, you might end with plants suffering from stunted growth, which is especially bad if you’re trying to grow fruits and vegetables or even flowers.
You’ll never get them from stunted plants.
If you don’t have much space indoors, I recommend a tower garden or even a wall-mounted garden.
Tip #2: If you love summer, you’re not alone. Your plant loves it too.
Are you a beach buff who enjoys basking in sun?
Well, chances are high that your plants are just like you. Most plants need sunlight to survive, so it’s best you place your organic indoor garden close to a window or any space that receives natural light.
[Or you can just choose plants that thrive in the dark. Yep, they do exist! But if you’re starting an indoor organic garden because you want to grow your own food, you will definitely need sunlight.]
If that’s not possible (because you live in a dinky wee apartment in a country that has long winters – like me), then you need grow lights. Grow lights are light sources designed to mimic the light spectrum of the sun and trick your plants into believing that they’re getting the real deal. It may not be real sunlight but they have the same results – thriving plants with juicy fruits and veg or blooming flowers.
Just remember to turn the lights off after your plants have had their fill. Different plants have different requirements so you need to know what the ones you chose really need.
Tip #3: Don’t force your plants into thinking you live somewhere in the Sahara.
Chances are high that the environment around your garden isn’t humid enough to support the growth of your plants. Or you end up choosing a plant that requires a lot of watering (such as a tomato), which is fine if you can (remember to) find the time but not good if you’re so busy that you barely have time to take a shower.
If you foresee this as being a problem, then I highly recommend you invest in something that will automate your watering. I like using automatic plant watering stakes because I can never remember when I last watered a plant.
Tip #4: As you make its soil, so your plant must lie on it
Ok, so that made no sense.
The point is that you have to prepare the soil before you begin planting. The importance of having the soil in the perfect condition for your indoor plants cannot be overemphasized.
If you’re going with an organic indoor garden instead of just good ol’ regular garden, I recommend investing in good organic potting soil that shows its exact composition. That way, there’s no need to play a guessing game when you’re trying to figure out if you need to add extra nutrients.
Tip #5: Humans are not the only ones who need to watch their diet.
Keto diet. Dr. Atkins. Low carb. Hi carb. Etc.
So many diets available to people. And different people thrive on different diets.
Same with plants.
You can’t give the nutrients that a tomato needs to a pumpkin plant and expect both of them to thrive. I mean it probably won’t kill the pumpkin plant but it probably won’t bear fruit either.
Sometimes, you’ll need to fertilize your soil. Sometimes you won’t. It all depends on a number of different factors but mostly on the soil you’re using and the plant you’re growing.
And if you’re going for an organic garden indoors, you need to make sure that you use organic fertilizer.
Tip #6: Homemade food can help your plants.
In addition to fertilizer, you might want to supercharge your soil composition by adding compost to the mix, which will provide more nutrients. Depending on the plant you’ve chosen, you might not need a fertilizer to help said plant thrive.
At its most basic, here is how you can compost at home.
Step 1: Get a compost pile or bin.
Step 2: Add any organic substance from your kitchen or garden, such as egg shells, fallen leaves or leftover veggies.
Step 3: Create a pile. Within a month or so, this pile will accumulate and turn into soil which you can easily mix with your trowel.
Once you’ve got your compost, mixed it with your garden soil. Add the compost in little quantities so that it doesn’t block little air spaces already available in the soil. Compost should be mixed with your soil at least once every three.
For more information on how to compost at home, read this Intro to Composting.
Tip #7: Your plants may make unsavory friends.
Prepare yourself for it. Like teenagers, some plants might end up inviting visitors you don’t like, such as insects and fungal infestations. They’re notorious for attacking indoor gardens.
As in many cases, the best pest control is prevention. Make sure your organic indoor garden is clean. Rotate your plants around the garden so they don’t stay in one place. Use organic pesticides if you really have to.
Or, kill pests with kindness sweetness and use a molasses spray.
Final thoughts on growing an organic garden indoors
And there you have it: Seven simple but important tips that will help you grow that organic garden indoors, the one that you’ve always wanted to try but were too intimidated to start.
