Indoor gardening has became a recent trend as people struggle to stay within their food budgets from month to month. The price of groceries has soared over the past few years and we are always looking for ways to cut down on spending. The internet can provide you with beautiful indoor garden ideas.

photo credit: Baying Hound

These tips should get you started.

The key to successful indoor gardening is what you choose to grow. Some herbs and vegetables will not fair well in an indoor setting because they need much more room than just a small container to grow in.

Dwarf varieties of plants tend to thrive a lot better with less effort then normal varieties. Tomatoes, peppers and radishes are all good ideas for indoor growing.

The container you choose for growing is also a big determining factor in how well your plants will prosper. Smaller plants will do just fine in smaller containers while those that grow to a substantial size will need for more room. Crowding a plants roots is a quick way to completely kill off the plant or stunt its growth.

Determining the right amount of sunlight seems to always be a problem for indoor gardeners. You should research each specific plant to see what it requires since all plants will have different requirements. Windowsills facing the side of the house where the sun rises are a prime spot for getting sunlight to your plants, no matter how much light they need.

To prevent accidental over fertilization most experts recommend using a potting soil mixture with the fertilizer already added in. This will eliminate the need for any type of fertilizer or growth enhancement for at least the first 2 months.

These are just a few of the many pieces of advice you can find to help make your indoor gardening adventure more prosperous.

I know how you feel, you love to have a killer indoor garden but may overwhelmed by it all. Then this is what you need to do. Go to 4indoorgarden.com to get some reviews on some popular and successful ‘indoor gardening‘ products.

Next If you are serious about having a beautiful garden, try one of them, they do work. Third enjoy the site and pick up some tips.

Technorati Tags: container gardening, gardening indoors, indoor garden tips, indoor gardening

The start of the Winter Recession Garden is under way and I am pleased so far.  I have my pots washed, sterilized and I added sterilized soil to more small terra cotta pots.  I already have lettuce, spinach, onions and garlic growing.

photo credit: jacobsons

And I have a cherry tomato plant hanging plant and strawberry hanging plant already growing and producing.

My next step is to add a few more vegetables and a few herbs. I have pots ready and I will grow these in a windowsill garden.

The herbs I grow are basil, chives, thyme and oregano. I start these from seed but I also want rosemary and sage. I think I will buy a plant for these herbs. It will give me the “instant big garden” look. And while I’m out buying herbs I’ll look for a lavendar plant.

I will be starting my pepper and tomato plants soon but I want to make compost and build a few raised bed planters for more planting room.

Tip: If you are planting tomatoes and peppers for outdoors you may wan to wait. I use a repotting method for tomatoes that gives me 3 foot producing tomatoes by May. It’s a bit of work so many people prefer to start plants in late March or April.

photo credit: rudy.kleysteuber

I also have a portable mini greenhouse to set up. That’s tomorrow project.

Making compost indoors.

I need a lot of compost to add to my potting soil for repotting and making hanging baskets so I make my own compost indoors. I am using the downstairs basement for my project. I have brought in two large plastic 55-gallon barrels. I placed 6 inches of pebbles in the bottom for drainage. I don’t have drainage holes in these barrels so I have to make sure I don’t add to much water to the compost. (All compost needed a little moisture to start to work.)

Next I have compost material I have saved. First I add about 9 inches of straw, 9 inches of shredded leaves, 9 inches of old sawdust that has broken down already. I will add 3 inches of fresh sawdust to help the pile work and top off the mix with a thin layer of peat. I will also dust the top layer with old rabbit manure.

And believe it or not, I am adding ½ can of coke to each compost barrel, which I will sprinkle on top of the mix. For some reason coke really helps break down a compost bin. In the summer months I would use the herbs comfrey, yarrow or add fresh grass clippings. And for a few days I will cover the barrels with clear plastic to hold in heat and moisture.

I can either let the compost containers sit like this for a week or stir it up to help it compost faster. For today it’s sitting. I will stir it up when I add kitchen table scraps. (Fresh vegetables, coffee grounds and eggshells only. No meat or grease items)

Uisng a composting method like this I can usually create good usable compost in two weeks.

I have a start on two working compost bins so I will sort through seeds to see what I can start in a few days and call my winter gardening quits for today.

Technorati Tags: indoor composting bin, indoor gardening, recession gardening, winter recession garden

Often times summer is so busy you don’t get the jobs done you need to so winter is the perfect time to concentrate on garden tasks.

photo credit: Unhindered by Talent

One job I tend to put off is sort through the garden tools and cleaning them. At this time it’s best to dispose of any tools you aren’t using. Actually I don’t get rid of tools, I turn them into garden art. But if you aren’t using a tool – find another use for it.

Winter passes along much faster is you start “garden research”. It’s the perfect time to look through garden and landscape magazines and mentally plan your garden. When you find plants that interest you, research them on the Internet or check out some books to find out how well they will grow in your area.

Take a visit to your local garden center or greenhouse. The colors of flowers will make you feel better about the cold weather outdoors. And don’t be surprised if you come home with a new plant or two.

Check out gardening catalogs. There may be new seeds or plants you want to try, but be forewarned – order now! It’s amazing how fast certain seeds and plants will sell out.

Contact you garden friends and trade some seeds. Its fun and will save you money that you can spend on other garden items.

Plant some potted plants you really like that can’t be outdoors in the winter. You can enjoy them inside when the weather is cold and move them outdoors in the warmer spring and summer weather.

I usually start a windowsill garden and this year I have a winter recession garden.

photo credit: Kevin Lawver

So far my winter recession garden has two windowsill planters, four containers, two hanging planters and soon I will be filling my portable mini greenhouse, which is 6 foot by 3 foot and perfect for an indoor seed-starting garden.

Technorati Tags: gardening research, indoor gardening, winter garden tasks, winter recession gardening