Anywhere?

Yes!  I found a few different ideas for containers over the holidays, and decided to display them here.  Think outside the garden box for a few moments and check them out:

Delicate vines trailing up a sunlit window, single vegetable plants in small (soda can?!) containers, a salad garden in a simple gutter attached to the house, an antique chandelier, salad greens in a glass-top coffee table, vertical gardens, herbs in a canvas hanger, rooftop gardening (the last pic is on top of a cafe where the owner grows her own herbs and veggies).  I like the idea of using space that is not usually reserved for plants.  I also wonder why a container labeled "outdoor" couldn't be used indoors too.  (So many colorful and environmentally friendly ones out there).  Decorating inside with vegetable plants works as long as you have the right lighting and good drainage in your container.  Check the information in my other posts about lighting, soil, etc. 

Think green and dream.

HAPPY INDOOR GARDENING!

Feeding Your Plants

People often ask me if they need to use fertilizer for their indoor vegetable plants.  Or if fertilizer is necessary when they use compost. Or, do they even need compost?  The answers: Yes, yes and yes. Why?  First, look at the difference between compost and fertilizer:

Compost is naturally decomposed plant and animal material, broken down by healthy bacteria to enhance the soil.  Compost adds structure, moisture retention and some nutrients. Compost also helps regulate the release of fertilizer. Outdoors, nature's cycles automatically provide compost.  Indoor plants depend on us to provide it.   

Fertilizer is basically plant food.  It contains certain amounts of nutrtrients from  natural substances or man-made chemicals.  You will usually need less fertilizer with composted soil. 


I use organic fertilizer because it contains natural nutrients.  There is less overdosing or chemical burns, it won't harm plants, soil or people, it needs less precision in dosing.  A good example of an all-purpose organic fertilizer is  Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer (5-7-3).   Or you might want to learn more about more specific plant nutrient needs and the organic sources that provide them.  Aha! A good topic for a future post...

In general, vegetables that are grown mainly for their leaves, like salad greens and spinach,  benefit from a fertilizer with more nitrogen.  Vegetables and fruits that flower first (tomatoes, blueberries, squash, etc.) require more phosphorous to support blooming.

If you don't make your own compost you can buy it bagged at a garden center or online.  If possible get a mix of composted ingredients.  Add the compost to your indoor potting mix (1 part compost to 3 parts potting soil), and treat the top of the soil to a bit of compost every month or so.  

How about tomatoes all year round?  A friend told me about a friend who grows tomatoes in the corner of his living room, with vines growing up to the ceiling.  He said it looked like a sculpture.  I'm imagining homemade spaghetti sauce.

We have lots more to talk about, lots more to grow!  Until next time, think green and keep dreaming...

                                                     HAPPY INDOOR GARDENING!

Like Water, Like Broccoli

From elephants to infants, every living thing needs water.  Writer/Artist Sylvia Earle put it simply when she wrote, "No blues, no greens.  No water, no life."  Which brings me to indoor gardening...

I've read that too much watering is the biggest problem with indoor gardening.  I think that's true.  We see a plant falter and one of the first solutions we think of is to water it. Did we get that from those old-time Hollywood movies where the distressed heroine was merely given (you guessed it) a glass of water for relief?  Maybe she just needed to be validated.  Or fed. 

But I digress.  Here are some practical tips on watering for indoor growing:

1.  Soil in containers tends to dry out quicker, especially indoors in drier air. Regular, consistent (daily) soil checking is needed to be sure the soil is just moist, not soggy or not dry.  Make it a lovely morning routine with a cup of coffee or tea. 

Indoor vegetables and fruits require consistent watering and watching because their growing season is shorter than most indoor plants.  Consistentcy is the key. A once-in-a-while heavy drenching (especially with cold water) can  actually drown roots and send a plant into shock.

2.  Make it easy for you. I like to keep a small watering can filled with water near each garden box I have indoors.  Use lukewarm water, and if possible let it sit for a while.

3.  Check your soil moisture by pushing your finger about an inch into the soil to feel if it is moist but not soggy. While some vegetables like the soil on the dry side (mustard and carrots, for example), in general if the soil falls off your finger it's too dry.  

4.  There are several indoor watering systems available, along with some simple accessories that help maintain water moisture.  I like the more personal touch (yes, sometimes I talk to my spinach), but I would consider some of those  accessories if I had more than 2 or 3 boxes. 

5.  Kelp meal is natural, organic and provides highly beneficial nutrients.  Mix it into your soil to help it retain water and for extra plant health, growth and flavor. 

6.  Good old fashioned mulching (with the usual wood chips & shavings, bark, hay, straw, dried leaves & grass clippings, pine needles, coco fiber, sand) helps retain moisture, but use mulch only on plants that need a lot of water, or if your soil seems to dry out quickly.

7. Clay pots (terracotta) will probably need more frequent watering because they lose moisture faster.  Pots made from non-porous material (metal, glass or plastic) have higher water retention and care should be taken not to over-water in them.

Specifics for:

Lettuce -  Keep the soil constantly moist. Lighter, more frequent watering is better than a heavy drenching.  Water lettuce whenever the top layer of soil becomes dry.  To help prevent leaves from sitting on moist soil, maybe spread a thin layer of sand over the top of the soil.

Leafy Greens - For chard and collards, keep the soil moist, and don't let it dry out.  Kale and mustard can take less water. Water them once the soil feels dry. I end up watering mine about once every week or two. 

Spinach - Needs more water than other leafy greens.  You'll probably water every 3 - 4 days.  And spinach likes mulch to help retain moisture.  

Carrots - Once carrots are up, they like soil on the dry side.  You can let the soil dry out a little between waterings.  Maybe water every 7 - 10 days.  When you do water, make sure the soil is thoroughly soaked to the bottom of the container to reach feeder roots.  Dwarf varieties are the same, except they don't require as deep a container.

Radish - Water regularly, keeping soil moist but not soggy. Mulching is good. You won't need deep containers.  Radishes are hotter tasting if allowed to dry out.

Well, there you have it.  The scoop on water for a starter indoor garden.  I hope you have fun with your indoor vegetable garden. It will return the favor of your careful care with a wonderful fresh bounty of goodness.

                                  HAPPY INDOOR GARDENING!
                                     (Think green and dream...)
                         

Growing Salad Greens Indoors

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!

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!

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!

INDOOR GARDEN PICTURES

 

Small Fluorescent Light With Reflector

Light is only 4 - 6 inches above plants 

 

    High Intensity Discharge Lights
  Hanging in darker areas (hallway and under the counter) 

              
                          

        Growing Lettuce on a Windowsill With Existing Sunlight

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