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It may be a few months until spring, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about planting our fall gardens now. Even if you live in an area where winter is long and harsh, there are still ways to grow indoor plants through the colder months. This article will tell you how to build your indoor garden with light to start growing fresh produce year-round. The key to building a successful indoor garden with light is having a suitable plant variety and adequate lighting for proper growth.
Select the right plants for your indoor garden with light
You have several plant varieties when planting an indoor garden with artificial lighting. These include herbs, flowers, and vegetables. While herbs are great for use as potpourri or flavouring in meals, they are not very nutritious. Flowers are also not a great source of nutrition but are great for decorating indoor spaces and making them smell more pleasant. Flowers like tulips and daffodils bloom for a short time and then die off, making them great for short-term use.
On the other hand, herbs can be used year-round and are more nutritious. If you want to grow a more significant number of herbs, you will want to opt for an heirloom variety that is hardier and more robust than the more common supermarket varieties. Vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, are great for eating raw or in salads. You will also find a wide variety of vegetables that are great for freezing or canning. Growing vegetables in a garden with artificial lighting is a great way to extend the growing season and save on grocery expenses.
Install an artificial lighting kit for your garden
To build your indoor garden with light, you’ll need to add a lighting kit to your shopping cart. This kit will consist of a grow light and a ballast, which are the parts that allow you grow light to work. Grow lights come in various wattages and fluorescent tube lengths, so you can choose a light that is appropriate for your indoor garden. They will also come with multiple fixtures to help you hang the grow light from an overhead or track lighting system. The grow lights sold as kits consist of a bulb and a reflector, so the light is very concentrated. Using equipment also helps to save you money, as you won’t need to buy the parts separately. A kit is an excellent investment for any indoor garden with light enthusiasts, as it can help you save money while growing healthy produce.
Use fluorescent lighting in your indoor garden.
Fluorescent lighting is safe and efficient, making it an ideal choice for indoor gardening. These lights are suitable for flowers and herbs because they don’t require much sunlight to grow. They also produce a soft glow, which is great for indoor plants as it doesn’t burn their leaves. To get the most out of your fluorescent lighting, you should aim to replace your bulbs every six months. Fluorescent lights are inexpensive and can easily be found at most home improvement stores. They also come in various sizes and wattages, allowing you to find a style that best suits your needs.
Grow more than produce with an indoor garden
When it comes to indoor gardening, you don’t have to restrict yourself solely to growing fresh produce. You can also grow herbs, flowers, and even herbs in pots in an indoor garden with light. Herbs like oregano, basil, and dill are great for adding a savoury, spicy to meals or potpourri. Flowers like begonia and begonias add vibrant colour to your indoor spaces. And you can even grow carnivorous plants like the Sundew and Sarracenia in an indoor garden with light. These plants use light-dependent organisms to obtain sugar from the air, which they then use for growth. You can grow carnivorous plants in various ways, including in pots or hanging baskets.
Keep an eye out for spider mites and other pests when growing plants indoors.
When growing plants indoors, you must ensure you aren’t increasing harmful pests in your garden. It is done by watching for spider mites, aphids, white flies, and other problems. Spider mites are small, white, eight-legged insects that feed on plant sap. They can be found in any environment with plants and overgrow, especially in warm and humid climates. Aphids are tiny, green, pear-shaped insects that feed on the sap of many plants. They are not harmful in small quantities but can increase and cause damage to plants if they are left unchecked. Whiteflies are another dangerous pest that you should keep an eye on. They are small, yellow flies that feed on the sap of plants, causing leaves to become yellow and drop off.
Summing up
Growing your fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and get a healthy meal. While certain types of produce, like tomatoes, are best eaten fresh from the garden, others, like herbs and flowers, can be used in various ways. When growing your produce, use artificial lighting, choose the suitable varieties for your outdoor conditions, and watch out for harmful pests. If you take these precautions, you can grow various indoor plants with light and produce healthy food all year round.
