Lettuce and other leafy greens are the easiest cool-weather vegetables to grow. Check the previous posts for more tips on growing these crops indoors. Here are a few other considerations:
Consideration #1 - Harvest in Your Jammies
Imagine - when it's snowing, freezing and rainy outside you'll be harvesting a fresh organic salad in the comfort of your own home. I'm lovin' that idea! I'll be growing salad fixings and staggering the harvest to produce through the winter. Let me give you my selections:
I chose a mesclun mix (leafy lettuce) that takes only 30 days, some Tendergreen mustard (30 days), and an early hybrid spinach (37 - 40 days). These grow relatively fast and they're ready to eat before maturity. You can find the seeds online if they aren't at your favorite garden center this time of year. Or use leftover seeds from this past year.
Any kind of leaf lettuce, spinach and greens like chard, collards, kale, and mustard are excellent low-light indoor growers. Good choices for the beginning indoor gardener. Radishes are too, especially the smaller cool weather varieties like Scarlet Globe, Jolly Speedy, Pink Beauty. Include their leaves in your salad for a little variety and extra nutrition.
Consideration #2: Pick-As-You-Go
Leaf lettuce (including mesclun) will keep producing leaves after you harvest them. Snip the leaves just above the soil line and leave the rest of the plant. It'll grow back for another harvest.
Chard, Collards and Kale will also keep producing after snipping off leaves. If your plant has a solid center part be sure to leave that in the soil.
While spinach doesn't grow back like mesclun, alot of gardeners like to pick the larger outer leaves of young plants while leaving the inner leaves to grow a little more. Nothing like tender baby spinach.
Harvest mustard greens by picking leaves as the plants grow. They won't grow back, but mustard is so tasty even when the leaves are small, you'll be harvesting while the rest of the plant grows.
In general, if you pick the greens before they mature they'll be more tender to eat raw. If picked late, they'll probably be better cooked.
#3 - Don't Worry About the Cost of These Health Benefits
Mustard greens, my favorite, are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and natural cancer-fighters. This little green powerhouse is a member of the brassica family and contains more goodness than broccoli. Grows fast, too.
Health benefits of lettuce vary with the variety. The good news - leaf lettuce is more nutritious. In general, the darker the green or red, the more beta carotene. I like a mesclun mix for its variety, healthy variations and fast-growing nature. Endive is a nutritious lettuce too.
Spinach is still a good source of vitamins and minerals/elements even though its Popeye-healthy benefits have been downgraded a little with some recent research.
A wonderful website about the nutritious value of these and other veggies, foods and even fast foods is: http://nutritiondata.self.com/
#4 - Don't Spend Alot on Lighting For These Greens
Full sun in a south-facing window is adequate for this crop. It requires relatively little light, but will do even better if you supplement with some inexpensive cool fluorescent lights. Full-spectrum fluorescent grow lights cost just a little more, but are worth it. All greens will be healthier and tastier the more sunlight they absorb. Keep lights 4-6 inches above the plants.
Let the seeds germinate and sprout before you turn the lights on. No need for extra warmth if they are indoors. Then use the lights about 16 hours on, 8 hours off each day. (Radishes only need 11 hours on). We're emulating the natural 24-hour day and plants need a period of rest in darkness too.
Consideration #5 - Keep It Cool
This crop likes cool temperatures. Ideal air temps for sowing and growing are between 55-65 degrees. (Collards 60-65 degrees). Try not to let temperatures get over 65.
You should be able to get a great start on your indoor salad garden with just this information. It's important to remember that we are creating the natural outdoors in an indoor environment. With your lightweight soil in containers with good drainage, plus plant food/compost and careful watering you'll be eating fresh organic salad in no time. Until then, think green and dream...
Happy Indoor Gardening!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Containers For Indoor Vegetable Gardening
I've read that you can use anything for a plant container as long as it has room for roots, can hold soil, and provides adequate drainage. It's true.
I have a friend who likes to say you can even grow a garden in your hat. Then there are the Troubadours, two gifted musicians and co-founders of Louisville's Mighty Kindness Hootenanny/Earth Day Festival. While preparing to rehearse at their country cabin recently, they found that some wayward seeds had sprouted in their accordion!
While I don't normally propose using musical instruments as vegetable containers, I think it would make a lovely display by a south-facing window. (If any of you try this please send me a picture). Until then I have some suggestions that may be helpful in choosing more conventional containers for your indoor vegetable garden:
My personal favorite is an untreated wood window box. It's natural, versatile and non-toxic. You can easily make one. It's rustic looking. Inexpensive cedar fencing is great to use and cedar naturally repels pests. I also like to use pine. I think any wood looks nice.
If I'm going to finish the boxes I use an earth-friendly non-oil based paint, beeswax or a milk wash, keeping the inside surfaces finish-free. Any harsh chemicals or oil-based finishes on the inside surfaces could leach into the soil.
A Word About Plastic
People ask me if I use plastic containers to grow vegetables. I used them years ago when I wasn't very aware of the toxicity of plastics and what they do to the environment. Now, after considerable research and experience growing, I forgo plastics all together. I know many experts say certain plastics are not toxic, but if you would like to grow edibles in totally safe, natural containers, I suggest these:
Wood Boxes
Terra Cotta or Unglazed Clay Pots - Totally natural and free of chemicals. Glazed ceramic pots are nice but the glazing frequently contains cadmium or lead so check the contents if you can.
Natural Grow Bags - There are many available that use earth-friendly material such as coconut fiber (coir).
Peat or Coir Pots - Peat is still readily available in North America through environmentally responsible growers. It's becoming scarce elsewhere. Coir, or coconut husk fiber, is a great alternative.
Hypertufa - DIY lightweight faux-stone. Fun to mix and play with! It's a mix of peat moss, perlite and Portland cement. Fairly easy to work with. You are actually making molds and letting them cure. Then viola! lightweight containers that look like aged stone. Cool. Even Martha likes hypertufa.
Concrete - Safe to use, but could change the ph balance in your soil over time. Various shapes and sizes availble.
How Many Plants In A Container?
Container sizes are usually measured in gallons or by the size of the opening of the pot. I could never visualize what size a 5 gallon bucket was, or how much soil to figure for a 10" pot. In Square Foot gardening (my formal training in growing), you grow in raised bed boxes, the soil is always 6" - 8" deep. The space you work in is always one square foot at a time. The space between plants is always consistent. Ah! A framework I can work with.
So here is a reference I like to use. I hope it helps you gauge how much to plant in your box or container too. This chart shows how much yield to expect in one square foot 6-8" deep (example: 9 spinach plants, or 16 dwarf carrots per square foot ). It's then easier to divide into smaller linear sizes.
Hint: The space between your index finger and pinkie is about 4 inches. I just use that to space the seeds. (And, like my daughter is always telling me, it doesn't have to be perfect). For a mix of mesclin, spinach and greens I use about the same spacing as the spinach below. Mine never seem to reach maturity anyway because I've eaten them before that! Nothing like fresh raw baby spinach and tender young greens.
Plant a pinch of two or three seeds in each spot. When the seedlings emerge, leave the strongest one and just snip off the other. No thinning needed. Grow fresh organic salad greens all winter! Have fun, think green and dream!
Happy Indoor Gardening!
I have a friend who likes to say you can even grow a garden in your hat. Then there are the Troubadours, two gifted musicians and co-founders of Louisville's Mighty Kindness Hootenanny/Earth Day Festival. While preparing to rehearse at their country cabin recently, they found that some wayward seeds had sprouted in their accordion!
While I don't normally propose using musical instruments as vegetable containers, I think it would make a lovely display by a south-facing window. (If any of you try this please send me a picture). Until then I have some suggestions that may be helpful in choosing more conventional containers for your indoor vegetable garden:
My personal favorite is an untreated wood window box. It's natural, versatile and non-toxic. You can easily make one. It's rustic looking. Inexpensive cedar fencing is great to use and cedar naturally repels pests. I also like to use pine. I think any wood looks nice.If I'm going to finish the boxes I use an earth-friendly non-oil based paint, beeswax or a milk wash, keeping the inside surfaces finish-free. Any harsh chemicals or oil-based finishes on the inside surfaces could leach into the soil.A Word About Plastic
People ask me if I use plastic containers to grow vegetables. I used them years ago when I wasn't very aware of the toxicity of plastics and what they do to the environment. Now, after considerable research and experience growing, I forgo plastics all together. I know many experts say certain plastics are not toxic, but if you would like to grow edibles in totally safe, natural containers, I suggest these:
Wood Boxes
Terra Cotta or Unglazed Clay Pots - Totally natural and free of chemicals. Glazed ceramic pots are nice but the glazing frequently contains cadmium or lead so check the contents if you can.
Natural Grow Bags - There are many available that use earth-friendly material such as coconut fiber (coir).
Peat or Coir Pots - Peat is still readily available in North America through environmentally responsible growers. It's becoming scarce elsewhere. Coir, or coconut husk fiber, is a great alternative.
Concrete - Safe to use, but could change the ph balance in your soil over time. Various shapes and sizes availble.
How Many Plants In A Container?
Container sizes are usually measured in gallons or by the size of the opening of the pot. I could never visualize what size a 5 gallon bucket was, or how much soil to figure for a 10" pot. In Square Foot gardening (my formal training in growing), you grow in raised bed boxes, the soil is always 6" - 8" deep. The space you work in is always one square foot at a time. The space between plants is always consistent. Ah! A framework I can work with.
So here is a reference I like to use. I hope it helps you gauge how much to plant in your box or container too. This chart shows how much yield to expect in one square foot 6-8" deep (example: 9 spinach plants, or 16 dwarf carrots per square foot ). It's then easier to divide into smaller linear sizes.
Hint: The space between your index finger and pinkie is about 4 inches. I just use that to space the seeds. (And, like my daughter is always telling me, it doesn't have to be perfect). For a mix of mesclin, spinach and greens I use about the same spacing as the spinach below. Mine never seem to reach maturity anyway because I've eaten them before that! Nothing like fresh raw baby spinach and tender young greens.
Plant a pinch of two or three seeds in each spot. When the seedlings emerge, leave the strongest one and just snip off the other. No thinning needed. Grow fresh organic salad greens all winter! Have fun, think green and dream!
Happy Indoor Gardening!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
DIRT - IT'S A GOOD THING
While many people are trying hydroponics, I am wholly devoted to gardening in that rich, loamy, earthy substance I can dig into with a trowel. We need to amend it for indoor gardening, so this post will be devoted to a few simple guidelines for using dirt indoors.
Guideline #1 - Don't Ya'll Be Tracking That Stuff In Here
It's best not to use outdoor garden soil for indoor gardens. Outdoor garden soil is too heavy for containers, and it won't drain well. Plus it contains things that are better suited for, or dealt with, outdoors. So don't bring in dirt from the outdoor garden to use inside.
Guideline #2 - Keep It Clean
A high-quality sterilized potting mix is best for indoor gardens. It's lighter so roots can breathe in a container. It will also hold more moisture for drier indooor climates. And you start your garden disease/pest free. If you'd like to make your own mix you can use:
4 parts standard (sterile) garden soil
2 parts compost
2 parts peat (or its alternative, coconut fiber)
1 part coarse sand or vermiculite (made from natural mica rock)
Mix together and moisten (not too wet or dry, just moist) before putting it into the container. Be sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of your container. If not, drill 3 or so. Use a tray underneath to catch any water. You could also just fit your container into another one the same size so there's a small space between the two. Place small stones or pot shards in the bottom of the container before you fill with dirt. Fill to about an inch from the top. (More on containers later).
Guideline #3 - Rejuvenate!
Renew your soil by adding compost periodically. Once you harvest a vegetable from your indoor garden, mix a trowel of compost in that spot and replant. Also, it won't hurt to use a good quality organic plant food as your plants are growing. (Just follow the directions on the box). As a general rule, it's good to replace your soil every year or two.
Next we'll talk about types of containers for indoor gardening. The good, the bad, and the...well, yes, ugly. Until then, think green...and dream. Happy Indoor Gardening!
Guideline #1 - Don't Ya'll Be Tracking That Stuff In Here
It's best not to use outdoor garden soil for indoor gardens. Outdoor garden soil is too heavy for containers, and it won't drain well. Plus it contains things that are better suited for, or dealt with, outdoors. So don't bring in dirt from the outdoor garden to use inside.
Guideline #2 - Keep It Clean
A high-quality sterilized potting mix is best for indoor gardens. It's lighter so roots can breathe in a container. It will also hold more moisture for drier indooor climates. And you start your garden disease/pest free. If you'd like to make your own mix you can use:
4 parts standard (sterile) garden soil
2 parts compost
2 parts peat (or its alternative, coconut fiber)
1 part coarse sand or vermiculite (made from natural mica rock)
Mix together and moisten (not too wet or dry, just moist) before putting it into the container. Be sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of your container. If not, drill 3 or so. Use a tray underneath to catch any water. You could also just fit your container into another one the same size so there's a small space between the two. Place small stones or pot shards in the bottom of the container before you fill with dirt. Fill to about an inch from the top. (More on containers later).
Guideline #3 - Rejuvenate!
Renew your soil by adding compost periodically. Once you harvest a vegetable from your indoor garden, mix a trowel of compost in that spot and replant. Also, it won't hurt to use a good quality organic plant food as your plants are growing. (Just follow the directions on the box). As a general rule, it's good to replace your soil every year or two.
Next we'll talk about types of containers for indoor gardening. The good, the bad, and the...well, yes, ugly. Until then, think green...and dream. Happy Indoor Gardening!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
INDOOR GARDEN PICTURES
Small Fluorescent Light With Reflector
Light is only 4 - 6 inches above plants
Hanging in darker areas (hallway and under the counter)
Veggie-Table With A Built-In Salad Garden
Fluorescent grow lights are in the top supports.
Higher Intensity Discharge Lights With Reflectors
Hanging higher above plants
Monday, November 7, 2011
"Here Comes The Sun!"
I've had the subject of light in mind for the last few days. Maybe because we just turned the clocks back, maybe because having the sun out on these fall mornings is particularly magnificent. So many uses of the word light! One can see it - like an epiphany - or let it shine, turn it on, measure it, hide it. But we all need it to thrive. Which brings me to indoor gardening. What kind of light for our indoor gardens? And where do we find it?
Home Depot has AISLES of halogen lumen daylight compact fluorescent incandescent T12 watts LED HID lights. HUNDREDS of lights. I'll resist making the pun and shed some on the subject of indoor growing.
The first picture shows the full spectrum of color in sunlight. The second shows what plants need for proper growth and development.
Most grow lights are either "full-spectrum" or "daylight" with a broad spectrum range like real sunlight. Other lights have more blue frequencies ("cool") or more red frequencies ("warm").
Plants use either blue or red light at different stages of their development. Seedlings and leafy parts use the blue and violet range, while flowering or fruiting stages use more red/orange light.
Home Depot has AISLES of halogen lumen daylight compact fluorescent incandescent T12 watts LED HID lights. HUNDREDS of lights. I'll resist making the pun and shed some on the subject of indoor growing.
The first picture shows the full spectrum of color in sunlight. The second shows what plants need for proper growth and development.
Most grow lights are either "full-spectrum" or "daylight" with a broad spectrum range like real sunlight. Other lights have more blue frequencies ("cool") or more red frequencies ("warm").
Plants use either blue or red light at different stages of their development. Seedlings and leafy parts use the blue and violet range, while flowering or fruiting stages use more red/orange light.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Happy November 1st - Plant A Garden!
I'm starting out my indoor garden with the easiest things to grow: leaf lettuce, greens (love the mild Tendergreen mustard), carrots (short or dwarf works best), spinach, beets, spring kale, radishes. There are more but these are both fast-maturing and easy.
We'll be eating fresh, crisp home-grown salads before Christmas! Growing indoors is such a delight in winter - when the first tiny little green seedlings begin poking up from the soil it's like spring again. Here are some basic steps to begin growing vegetables indoors:
Choose your vegetables. I'm starting with mesclun (a mix of leaf lettuces - 30 days to mature), Tendergreen mustard (30 days to mature) and spinach (Bloomsdale - 48 days but I pick 'em early to go with the others. Sweet!) These cool season crops prefer less intense light.
Choose your location. A sunny, south facing window is ideal. You can grow lettuce and greens there with little or no additional light. I don't have a south facing window so I'm going to grow in the living room (it's cool in there) and on my kitchen counter. Bookshelves, hanging baskets, wall shelves, low shelves along a wall. Lots of options. I'll also need additional lighting.
A simple flourescent shop light works, but a T8 full spectrum (daylight) flourescent light for general growing emulates sunlight better than the shop light, it's inexpensive and you can use it for alot more vegetables. They come in either 4-foot or 2-foot lengths, or in light bulb form, for a smaller growing area. Hang it 4 - 6 inches above the plants. If I use a bookshelf, I'll paint it white to reflect more light onto the plants. The fixture should have some sort of reflective top on it which will also direct more of the lights downward.
Soil and container(s). A good do-it-yourself mix is:
4 parts regular garden soil
2 parts compost
2 parts peat
1 part coarse bagged sand
Potting soil especially for containers works well too.
The container should be 4 - 6 inches deep. Put a few drainage holes, stones in the bottom along with the soil and you're good to go. I don't like using anything plastic so I use either terra cotta pots or wood (untreated cedar fencing or pine - cheap and easy to make a box).
CAN WE PLANT NOW? Yes!! Happy Gardening, think green and dream. More to come.
We'll be eating fresh, crisp home-grown salads before Christmas! Growing indoors is such a delight in winter - when the first tiny little green seedlings begin poking up from the soil it's like spring again. Here are some basic steps to begin growing vegetables indoors:
Choose your vegetables. I'm starting with mesclun (a mix of leaf lettuces - 30 days to mature), Tendergreen mustard (30 days to mature) and spinach (Bloomsdale - 48 days but I pick 'em early to go with the others. Sweet!) These cool season crops prefer less intense light.
Choose your location. A sunny, south facing window is ideal. You can grow lettuce and greens there with little or no additional light. I don't have a south facing window so I'm going to grow in the living room (it's cool in there) and on my kitchen counter. Bookshelves, hanging baskets, wall shelves, low shelves along a wall. Lots of options. I'll also need additional lighting.
A simple flourescent shop light works, but a T8 full spectrum (daylight) flourescent light for general growing emulates sunlight better than the shop light, it's inexpensive and you can use it for alot more vegetables. They come in either 4-foot or 2-foot lengths, or in light bulb form, for a smaller growing area. Hang it 4 - 6 inches above the plants. If I use a bookshelf, I'll paint it white to reflect more light onto the plants. The fixture should have some sort of reflective top on it which will also direct more of the lights downward.
Soil and container(s). A good do-it-yourself mix is:
4 parts regular garden soil
2 parts compost
2 parts peat
1 part coarse bagged sand
Potting soil especially for containers works well too.
The container should be 4 - 6 inches deep. Put a few drainage holes, stones in the bottom along with the soil and you're good to go. I don't like using anything plastic so I use either terra cotta pots or wood (untreated cedar fencing or pine - cheap and easy to make a box).
CAN WE PLANT NOW? Yes!! Happy Gardening, think green and dream. More to come.
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