As a writer, I feel the need for indoor gardening. On the other hand, I also knew that there are numerous challenges you are facing when you start doing indoor gardening!!!
So, this is your ultimate guide from my side that proffers the solutions that help you make your indoor gardening worth it!!!
Let’s start your indoor gardening journey!!!
“A beautiful plant is like having a friend around the house.”
-Beth Ditto
Plant enthusiasts encourage indoor gardening so you can easily compose a green oasis at your own pace. Day by day it is seen that indoor gardening is gaining immense popularity and growing at a rate of 4.87% between 2022 to 2030 as per the Data Bridge Market Research.
But why is it growing?
Because it is helpful for both mental and physical health. You can easily reduce your fear, anger, stress, and sadness if you spend time with plants. On the other hand, indoor gardening engraves positivity and removes negativity within yourself. Also, enlighten your mood.
I recommend you explore indoor gardening. But why?
There are various advantages of indoor gardening, such as
- Produce fresh fruits and vegetables,
- Grow plants the whole year,
- Protect plants from pests and diseases,
- Make your home awe-inspiring, etc.
Why Indoor Gardening is Rewarding for You?
Easily harness the therapeutic benefits of indoor gardening
When I think of indoor gardening the first that came into my mind is calmness and peace. So, why did you stress yourself when you had the opportunity to relieve your stress? All your respiratory issues come to an end when you start to utilize your time in spending with your plants.
Start harnessing the power of plants by:
- Aloe Vera
- Snake Plant
- Spider Plant
- Peace Lily
- Valuable Herbs
Greenery within your house makes you feel optimistic and gives you hope. Also, it reduces heat and cools down the temperature to make the air of your home soothing. So, you don’t have to incorporate artificial cooling material. As a reason for that plants are natural air purifiers.
Lush indoor gardens help you to make your living space alluring
Are you worried about how to make your living space appealing? Not to worry follow these steps and make your living peaceful in this hustle-bustle life:
Step 1: Find a space on your balcony or where the sunlight easily reaches to the plants.
Step 2: Utilize the available space wisely by selecting low-maintenance plants.
Step 3: Go for vertical gardening and use a trellis to make your space attractive.
Step 4: Proper care of your plants by watering, fertilizing, pruning, cleaning, etc.
Step 5: Pay attention to lighting, soothing sounds, scents, and ornaments to make your garden appealing.
Indoor gardening is the best way to cultivate a sustainable lifestyle
When we come to the point of cultivating a sustainable lifestyle then indoor gardening is the best technique. Firstly, you can easily reduce carbon footprints by growing your own food.
Secondly, you are accessible to year-round greenery.
Thirdly, you can eliminate the need for transportation.
Fourthly, you can easily reduce the wastage of food.
Lastly, reduce your environmental impact by using healthy soil, organic fertilisers, and natural pest control methods.
Various Methods of Indoor Gardening
Container Gardening
In urban areas, container gardening is the best way to explore gardening in a limited space. In container gardening plants are grown in various types of containers rather than in the ground.
Now, we move on to how to plant a container garden.
First of all, you need a few things such as:
- Container
- Potting Soil
- Spiller, thriller, and filler plants
- Water
Secondly, choose the right container according to:
- Appearance/Style
- Weight/Size
- Space
- Budget
Thirdly, make a colour combination or colour theme for different containers such as grey, green, brown, black, etc.
Fourthly, limit the number of plants you use according to space and style. Don’t be overcrowded, just make your space appealing and pot plants as per the need.
Fifthly, fill your containers with potting mix to two-thirds. You can also use garden soil but remember that it won’t drain easily.
Sixthly, add plants to your containers and make sure before adding squeeze their nursery containers. So, it helps in loosening the roots and you can easily take them out. Don’t forget to press down lightly when you putting your plants in the container. It will help in eliminating or reducing air pockets.
Lastly, water your container garden and check back in a day or two. And keep watering as per the need to settle down the soil properly.
Hydroponics & Aquaponics
Have you ever thought can we grow plants without soil? If yes, then how? How it is possible?
The answer is with the help of a hydroponics system. it is an agricultural method that grows plants in nutrient-rich water solutions. So, hydroponics is the best way to do indoor gardening. All you need is:
- Nutrient solution: A solution of essential nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium.
- Growing medium: A soilless growing medium such as coconut coir, perlite, rockwool, or vermiculite.
- Water reservoir: It holds the nutrient solution, so the plants acquire proper nutrients for growth and development.
It has numerous advantages such as resource efficiency, faster growth of plants, space utilization, reducing the use of pesticides, and year-round cultivation.
After understanding the soilless’ plants growing environment now move on to the closed-loop ecosystem. What is it?
There is a sustainable agricultural system that composes easily with the help of:
- Fish tanks: They contain fish that proffer essential nutrients to plants such as tilapia, catfish or trout.
- Grow beds: It is a growing medium that contains clay pellets, foam or gravel.
- Beneficial bacteria: It is a bacterium that transforms the toxic ammonia from fish waste into nitrates, so plants easily absorb them.
It also has numerous advantages such as resource efficiency, minimised wastage, year-round production, and minimised use of pesticides.
Vertical Gardening
You can easily decorate your walls and roofs with the help of vertical gardening. It is a spectacular form of indoor gardening that fills your vertical spaces.
So, the question is how do you grow vertical gardens? Let’s explore!
The materials you need for vertical gardening are:
- A vertical structure: trellis, Arbor, ladder, fence, pallet, bamboo stakes, etc.
- A container: hanging basket, planting bags, etc.
- Plants
- Soil: good quality potting mix.
Plants that are best for vertical gardening:
- Herbs
- Succulents
- Ferns
- Caladiums
- Lettuce
- Moss
- And many more…
Keep an eye on the drainage and composition that you are using. It must settle according to the plant that you have chosen.
Terrariums & Miniature Gardens
A terrarium aka miniature garden is an aquarium for plants not for fishes. It is a mini garden inside a bottle or a glass container.
You can easily make a terrarium with the help of:
- Glass bottles
- Small pebbles and mini rocks
- Small twigs
- Potting soil
- Moss
- Mini succulents
- Small pieces of wood or vine
- Water
If you have a very small space in your house then you can also do indoor gardening with the help of terrariums. It is your miniature garden that you can spend time taking care of as well as beautifying your space with it.
Smart & Innovative Solutions for Successful Indoor Gardening
In this era, innovation and technology help you in each aspect of your life. You can easily do anything with the help of various technical gadgets and software. Hence, these smart technologies also aid you in smart gardening.
There are numerous benefits of indoor gardening with the help of innovative solutions such as:
- Easily monitor the moisture levels of soil.
- Automated irrigation systems to save wastage of water.
- Usage of raised garden beds proffer you a better drainage system.
- Easily monitor the growth of your plants.
- Organic production helps in getting a chemical-free food.
- Control the lighting schedule and intensity.
- Easily monitor weather conditions.
- Set watering schedules and save your time.
Let’s Wrap Up
Indoor gardening is a timeless hobby that makes you and your environment healthier and happier. But make sure it is sustainable and productive. On top of that, your smart gardening helps reduce your carbon footprint, community building, and cultivating your own food in a limited space.
Happy Gardening!
Share your gardening journey with me!