On this page you will find information on plants that you can grow indoors. It's a great idea to grow indoors! The air smells fresher, your home looks greener and more inviting, and some plants you can grow all year round! Which makes your grocery bill smaller. Go ahead and shop for items you might need to get your delicious and edible indoor garden started right here on this site!
What you will need:
• A tray or seed starting flat
• Plastic wrap
• Seedling mix
• Spray bottle
Completely fill a tray with moist seedling mix and level it off. The tray should be 2" deep. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the entire area.
Cover the seeds with soil. Use the recommended planting depth on the seed packet to determine how much soil to cover the seeds with.
Use a spray bottle to thoroughly moisten the soil. Place the tray in a propagator or cover it with plastic wrap. In a few days, you should see seedlings emerging. Once the seeds have formed their first true leaves, you will need to transplant them into packs or small pots.
What you will need:
• Jiffy pots, packs or seed tray
• Pane of glass or a propagator
• Permanent marker
• Plastic labels
• Seedling potting mix
• Seeds
• Spray bottle
Fill the tray, packs or Jiffy pots up to about 1/2" from the rim with moist seedling mix. Open the packet and pour some seeds in your hand. Drop a few seeds into each cell.
Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. The back of the seed packet will have information on the proper planting depth.
Water the seeds, either by misting them with a spray bottle or by placing the pack in a tray with a little water in it. Be sure to label each type of seed.
Cover the pack with plastic, a pane of glass, or place it in a propagator. Place the pack or propagator where it will receive bottom heat, like on a heating mat or on top of a refrigerator.
After 7-10 days, most seeds will start sprouting. Remove all but one seedling from each cell. Pinch the tops off the undesirable seedlings with a small pair of scissors. Do not pull them out as it may damage the delicate roots of the seedling you intend to keep. Place the pack in a sunny window sill or under fluorescent lights until the seedlings are ready to be planted outside.
What you will need:
• 48" fluorescent light fixture
• 1- 48" cool white fluorescent light bulb
• 1- 48" warm white fluorescent light bulb
• Light rack
• Timer
Gardening under lights is a great way to extend your gardening season. It is most useful for starting new plants from seed in the spring and growing houseplants.
The first step is to choose the right light source. Incandescent bulbs do not provide enough or the right kind of light. The color of the light is too red and causes the plants to become stretched out. The bulbs are also too hot and expensive to operate. Commercial growers use high-pressure and low-pressure sodium and metal halide lamps. These are very efficient growing lamps, but are not usually the practical choice for home gardeners. They are large and expensive to purchase.
The most economical choice is fluorescent lights. You can purchase a special light cart designed just for growing plants or, to start in a more limited way, you can purchase any fluorescent light fixture. The two tube shop fixtures commonly sold in most hardware or electrical supply stores will work fine for a small amount of seed starting.
After you purchase a fixture, you must then choose which tubes you will put in them. There are many "grow tubes" on the market, but they are rarely necessary and are much more expensive. Most gardeners who have been growing under lights for many years find that a 50/50 combination of warm white and cool white tubes will grow plants very well and are much less expensive to purchase than the "grow tubes".
Once you have your light garden set up, place the plants so that the foliage is about 4 to 6 inches from the bottoms of the tubes. If you put them too far away from the lights, the plants will become gangly and stretched. If you let the leaves touch the tubes, the tips of the leaves will usually burn and turn brown.
To provide humidity for the plants growing in your light garden, place the pots on a waterproof tray that is filled with pebbles. Keep this tray partially filled with water so that this moisture evaporates and provides humidity.
Fluorescent lights produce a relatively low light intensity. In order to get rapid growth and best flowering, it's recommended to leave them on for 10 to 14 hours each day. Use an inexpensive timer to maintain this long length. Follow the same fertilizing, watering, and other cultural procedures as you would for growing any of your houseplants.
What you will need:
• Plastic trays
• Small fan
• Various small herb plants
To successfully grow herbs indoors, provide a very sunny location. South-facing windows are best. Herbs like humidity. This can be provided by placing the herbs on a tray filled with pebbles and water so that the water evaporates around the herbs but the pots never sit in the water. If you have ample humidity but no air circulation, mold can become a problem. A small fan provides good air circulation, helping to keep herbs disease free. When the soil is dry an inch or two below the surface, it's time to water the pots thoroughly.
This exposure provides the lowest light level. Though not a good spot for plants that require strong sunlight it is ideal for those that love the shade. African violets are a good choice. They are among the few blooming plants that flower in the lower light levels found in this exposure. Ferns, English ivies and various compact varieties of foliage plants are most at home in this setting. These include Aglaonemas, Dracaenas, various Ficus, Philodendrons, Sanseverias, and Spathiphyllum.
The southern exposure is the brightest growing area and is the perfect spot for many sun-loving plants. Orchids requiring loads of light include Vandas, and some Dendrobiums. These will bloom well in this exposure. Other orchids are better suited to an east-facing window. Various cacti will thrive in this sunlight. They are accustomed to growing in full sun in their natural habitat. A broad range of succulents do great in this exposure since they, like cacti, are found growing in full sun situations in the wild. Geraniums will also bloom well in this exposure.
Western exposure is brightest in the afternoon. It can be a hot spot, so is not suitable for some plants. Cacti love the sun and heat. They are good candidates for this exposure. Succulents can also take the heat, making them another good choice. Drought tolerant tropical plants are suited to this exposure. One rugged and easy to grow beauty is the Bougainvillea. Some of the tradescantias are also toughies that thrive in this setting.
An east-facing windowsill is not as bright as the southern exposure but is still a choice spot for many plants. Some orchids, like Cattleyas like it here. Paphiopedilums and Phalaenopsis will also do well in this location but should be set back a foot or so from the window so the light they receive is more diffused. Many flowering plants like gloxinia, streptocarpus, and other relatives of African violets and clivia prefer this exposure. Most foliage plants like this location. If the light from this setting gets too bright, move the plants further from the window. Most bromeliads thrive in this setting. Various begonias are also well suited to this windowsill.
Proper watering of houseplants is critical to their success. Improper watering accounts for the majority of deaths in houseplants. Most houseplants are from the tropics so in turn, they respond best when watered with warm water (room temperature). Using cold water can stunt the growth of the plants and, in some cases, if the plants have hairy leaves, can damage the foliage.
The first sign of when a plant needs to be watered is when the foliage takes on an off-green color. In more extreme cases, the youngest growth starts to flag or wilt. Do not wait until you see severe wilting because by this time some root and leave damage may have occurred.
It is usually easiest and best to water the plants from the top. Apply warm water with a sprinkling can, usually without a rose or water breaker attached. Apply a gentle stream of water. It is recommended not to get much water on the leaves of the plants because this can cause leaf spotting.
Some plants, like African violets, prefer to be watered from below. Fill the plant's tray with a little water and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. Remove any water that is not absorbed.
When you do water, drench the soil. Make sure the plant is in a container with a hole in the bottom so that excess water can flow out the bottom of the pot. If you use a tray or a platter to catch the excess water be sure to empty it after watering. Leaving your plant sitting in water will make it susceptible to root disease.
When the soil has been allowed to dry out too thoroughly, it is sometimes difficult to wet it again. If this happens, it is best to take the potted plant and put it in a sink filled with several inches of warm water. Let it sit there for several hours until the water is absorbed into the soil mass.
It is difficult to say how often a plant should be watered because of many variables. If the plant is growing in a clay pot versus a plastic pot, it will probably need to be watered about twice as often. If the room has low humidity or the plant has out-grown its pot, again, it will have to be watered more frequently. One way to increase the humidity around a plant is to fill the tray it's sitting in with pea gravel and water. The water evaporating from the pea gravel will raise the humidity in the plant's immediate vicinity.
What you will need:
• Capillary matting and a tray
• Slo-Drip Bottle Tap, plastic tubing, and ½-gal. or 1-gal. milk jug
• Terra-cotta spikes (Terra Wicks)and 16 or 32oz. soda bottles
The most common way to water plants automatically is to allow the potting mix to wick water from a reservoir. A variety of materials can be used as a wick, including nylon rope, a shoelace, and a fabric called capillary matting. Capillary matting is most effective when used with plastic pots. Place the fabric in a tray and add only enough water to saturate the fabric. Then set the plant on the fabric, making sure the potting mix in the drainage hole is in contact with the fabric.
Another way to wick water into potting mix is a terra-cotta spike. Attach one end to a recycled plastic bottle full of water. Push the pointed end into the mix. As the potting mix dries, water is drawn from the bottle through the terra-cotta spike.
You can also water plants automatically using drip irrigation. The simplest and least expensive approach uses plastic spigots inserted in the sides of recycled plastic milk jugs. Plastic tubing carries the water to the plant. The water is delivered by gravity, so the base of the jug must sit above the surface of the potting mix of the plant being watered. Open the spigot to a slow drip.
What you will need:
• 2 ceramic pots
• 12" length of 1/4" nylon rope
• 1-2" piece of wood dowel
• Plastic tray
Wick watering is ideal for plants like African violets that enjoy evenly moist soil. It also works perfectly as an automatic watering system if you plan on traveling and don't have anyone to look after your plants.
First, tie a length of 1/4" nylon rope to a 1-2" piece of wood dowel. You will need two pots with holes large enough to accommodate the rope. Feed the rope through the hole in the bottom of one of the pots. In order for the capillary action of the wick to work, the rope must be positioned in the middle of the soil mass. Suspend the dowel in the center of the pot. Add 1-2" of soil to the pot and firm it in. Pull the rope through so that the dowel rests on top of the soil.
Remove the plant from its original pot and place it into the pot prepared with the wick. Add more soil as necessary and firm it in. Place the second pot upside down in a tray of water. Place the planted pot on top of the inverted pot so that the wick runs through the hole and rests in the water. Drench the soil in the planted pot with water to prime the wick. Periodically add more water to the tray. If the tray dries out, it may be necessary to prime the wick again by top watering the plant.
Houseplants require some basic care to remain healthy and vigorous. Here are a few helpful hints to follow to ensure that your houseplants thrive:
Dust covering leaves reduces the plant's ability to produce its own food. Keep the leaves clean for a healthier, better looking plant. Glossy leafed plants can be dusted with a soft cloth. If the plant has shiny leaves that are marked with spots from mineral-laden water or spray materials, dampen a soft rag or paper towel with milk and rub to remove the spots and add a nice shine to the leaves.
Don't rub hairy leafed plants like African violets and gloxinias. Instead, carefully rinse their leaves with warm, room temperature water from a spray bottle or from the spray nozzle on your kitchen sink.
Sometimes leaves become damaged from disease or insect problems. Mechanical damage can also make leaves look unsightly. If only a small portion of a leaf is affected, remove this section only. If half or more is damaged, remove the entire leaf. The plant will look better and can prevent the spread of disease. Remove the leaf with clean, sharp scissors or a knife.
Correct watering of houseplants is critical. More houseplants die from improper watering than any other factor.
Houseplants grow more vigorously when fertilized properly. Use a slow release or water-soluble fertilizer and follow the directions on the container. During low light periods from late fall through winter, reduce the fertilizer rate by half. (Some will stop fertilizing their plants during the winter months.) Resume normal fertilization rates in early spring through fall.
Every year or so plants benefit from transplanting into larger pots. Choose a pot that is no more than one or two sizes larger than the current pot. For example, from a 4" pot, transplant to a 5" or 6" pot.
Plants can wilt as a result of not being watered frequently enough or from damaged roots sometimes caused by watering too often.
If the wilting is the result of the soil being too dry, water the soil thoroughly with a sprinkling can. Use warm water (room temperature) since this penetrates the soil better. If the soil resists watering, place the plant--pot and all--in a container of warm water a few inches deep. Leave it in this container for a few hours to ensure that the soil is thoroughly saturated. Then remove the pot and let it drain.
If the soil is damp and the plant is still wilted, the roots are probably damaged. In this case, place two stakes at least a few inches taller than the plant in the pot. Next, cover the plant with a plastic bag, securing the bottom of the bag with a rubber band. Put the plant in a spot that gets bright, diffused light without direct sunlight. This will create a space with very high humidity that will help the plant develop new roots. Leave it is this bag until the leaves regain their stiffness.
What you will need:
• A pot 1-2 sizes larger than the plant's current pot
• Potting soil
Fill the larger pot about half way with soil. Water the plant thoroughly and remove it from its pot. Break up any tightly bound roots and prune off any overgrown or damaged roots. Place the plant in the new pot and backfill with soil, compressing the soil as you go to avoid air pockets. Water thoroughly and enjoy your happy plant.
What you will need:
• A glass or vase
• Pruning shears
• Rooting hormone(optional)
Using a sharp, clean knife remove a shoot from the donor plant. The size of the cutting will depend on the type of plant you are using. Make a cut directly underneath a node. This is where the roots will start forming.
Place the cutting in a jar of water. Plain water works fine, but you can add a little liquid rooting hormone if you want. Within a couple weeks, roots will start growing from the submerged node.
Remove the cutting from the water once you see new vegetative growth. Plant the cutting in a pot of well draining soil mix, and water with a weak fertilizer solution.
What you will need:
• Pencil or dibble
• Propagator
• Pruning knife
• Rooting hormone
• Seedling mix
Select a healthy, medium sized leaf from the donor plant. Use a clean sharp knife or pruning shears to remove the cutting. Make a diagonal cut, leaving 1-½" or 2" of stem on the leaf. Dip the wound in rooting hormone and gently tap off any excess powder.
Fill a 4" ceramic pot with commercial African violet mix. Use a dibbler or a pencil to make a 1" deep hole in the center of the pot. Insert the cutting into the hole. It's important that the cutting is touching the bottom of the hole.
Next, place the pot in a propagator. The cutting should be kept in bright, indirect light. Fluorescent lighting works well for rooting cuttings. In six to eight weeks small plantlets should start to form from the base of the cutting.
What you will need:
• A pot to put the cuttings in
• Propagator
• Pruning knife
• Rooting hormone
• Seedling soil mix
Fill a clean pot with cutting or seedling mix. Leave some space, generally 1/8 from the rim and lightly tamp it down. Using a clean, sharp knife, remove a 3-4" non-flowering, young shoot. Trim all but the uppermost leaves off the shoot. Then make a cut right below a set of nodes.
Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and insert it into the soil using a dibble or pencil. Helpful hint - the ends of cuttings tend to be wet. It's better to put a small amount of hormone in a dish and insert cutting into it.
Place the cuttings in a propagation tray, or use the bottom of a two-liter bottle to retain moisture.
Remove the cuttings from the propagator when roots have developed. A few weeks later, you should see new growth forming. After a couple of new sets of leaves have formed, use a narrow trowel to remove each of the cuttings. Plant each of the cuttings in its own individual pot and water thoroughly with a weak fertilizer solution.
What you will need:
• Paper clip
• Potting soil
• Small pot
Simple layering is a technique that's used to propagate plants that produce runners and trailing shoots. First, fill a clean small pot with moist seedling mix.
Select a healthy shoot and position it so a node is in the center of the small pot. Use a paper clip to peg the shoot down. Keep the pot moist for the next few weeks.
When new growth is evident, the new plant is ready to be removed from the parent plant. Use sharp, clean pruning shears to separate the plants.
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