Awesome No Backyard? Vegetable Gardening Indoors

Vegetable gardening is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have in their own backyard, but if you don't have the space, there is a solution for you - grow them inside! The important thing to remember about vegetables is that they need lots of light, so there are a number of vegetables, especially ones that bear fruit, which will struggle inside.

The best vegetables to grow inside are the ones where you eat the leaves, rather than the fruit. This includes things like lettuces (and remember there is more to lettuce than iceberg!), chard, spinach or just about every herb ever discovered by man or woman. 

If you're lucky, and have bay windows, then this is the ideal location for your containers, but any window sill that gets the morning or afternoon light is a good choice. Most vegetables need around 6 or more hours of sunlight a day, so remember that when placing your containers.

Container size is quite important too. Just like a fish bowl or a rabbit cage, the size of your container will limit the size of your plants. Any plant that becomes root bound is unlikely to grow well. By root bound, I mean the roots of the plant are unable to spread and become entangled within the pot. There are a lot of vegetables that have been developed to be small rooting, and your local nursery expert will be able to help you choose some. Herbs are a great choice for this as they have quite small roots, and thrive in pots. As they also have a wonderful aroma they can help keep the house smelling good.

The microclimate inside a house is generally not conducive to growing good healthy plants. Vegetables especially like a bit of humidity, and houses tend to be dry inside. It's important to keep the water up on the plants, but not to overwater, as the roots will suffer when swimming. By growing the plants in a group, the local humidity will increase, as the leaves give off moisture, and this will help with keeping them healthy. Raise your pots up to allow drainage of any excess water.

The final thing to consider is the soil you are going to use. There are potting mixes that are especially designed for container gardening, and these are recommended for growing your vegetables inside. Do not over fertilize, as it will build up too much in the pot without a good way of leaching away. 

Indoor gardens are quite common, but few people consider indoor edible gardens. As can be seen, with a little bit of preparation, and a lot of love, you can be eating your own vegetables the have been grown right on your window sill.