Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Ideas for an Inexpensive Winter Indoor Garden

     The seasons are changing and the outdoor growing season is winding down, but the winter indoor growing season is just beginning. As I stated in a previous post, when growing indoors you will essentially be Mother Nature to your plants, in complete control of their growth and health. For your health, growing is therapeutic, so with the darker days coming, winter gardens can brighten the spirit.  
But this does not have to be an expensive endeavor. Follow these simple tips for an indoor garden that you’ll love throughout the season.  
  • Location, location, location: Your winter garden location needs the following:
    • Control of lighting. Too much outside light can throw off a plant’s growing cycle.
    • Ventilation and air movement. Pulling in outside, temperate fresh air along with circulating the air in the area is healthier for the plants. Plus, it will help with humidity and temperature of the area.  
    • To be clean and inaccessible to outsiders like your favorite kitty cat or roomie. Both have the tendency to grope and prod plants.  
  • Lighting: An inexpensive lighting option is using T-5 fluorescent bulbs for growing. Connected to a timer, fluorescents are a perfect option for giving your plants realistic lighting while not breaking the budget.
  • Air circulation: A simple window or table fan may be all you need for your growing area. If not freezing, some fresh air along with a slight breeze in your grow area will make for happy plants. 
I made a small, one-plant grow area in a walk-in closet for illustration purposes. In this example, I would have spent around $35, including the Aqua Camel planter. This is an example of how you can utilize a small space, spend very little, and continue growing throughout the winter season. So don’t get stuck with the winter blues... bring your plants indoors and enjoy your winter garden!


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