You don’t need to be an experienced gardener to reap the benefits of homegrown produce. You don’t even need an actual garden. Just grab a couple of jars, some dirt and start planting.

But take note that not all plants thrive well indoors. To avoid poor plant growth, it’s important to choose the right plants for indoor gardens.

Take a look at some of the vegetables that have proven successful indoors:

Carrots

Carrots are one of the most accommodating root vegetables. For indoor gardens, opt for the thin, fingerling ones since those mature in just a month. Although pots are a practical option, it’s best to use deep rectangular containers so that the roots have room to grow. You should also use loose, rock-free soil to make it easier for the seeds to sprout. This should occur at least two weeks after planting.

Garlic greens

Garlic greens add a mild hint of garlic to soups, salads and other dishes. Garlic greens also require little effort and maintenance to cultivate – you don’t even have to purchase garlic seeds. Just grab a bulb (or a single clove, whichever one you can spare) and place it in a small bowl. Add just enough water to cover the base of the bulb. Change the water often until the bulb starts to grow roots. Once these roots appear, the bulb should begin to produce sprouts as well.

Hot peppers

Hot pepper plants are temperature-sensitive tropical plants. That said, it’s still possible to grow these in colder countries. Plant them in the summer and bring them inside as soon as the temperature begins to drop in the fall. Indoors, pepper plants require at least 10 hours of sunlight. Take care not to overwater the plants to avoid root rot.

Lettuce

Lettuce grows best in the cool, wet weather of spring. It is also one of the easiest vegetables to grow. For indoor gardening, opt for the non-heading varieties like leaf lettuce since these can be harvested multiple times. Like carrots, lettuce also does best in deep containers. Fill these containers with damp soil and don’t plant the seeds too deep. After planting, just mist the seeds to keep them moist. Wait until the leaves are four to six inches tall before harvesting them.

Microgreens

Microgreens are a mixture of sprouts from various herbs and vegetables including beets, radishes, kale and basil. They are often sprouted in shallow trays since they are generally grown to be no taller than seedlings. They should be ready for harvesting once the sprouts are about one to two inches tall.

Scallions

Scallions have a sweeter, milder flavor than mature onions. Like garlic greens, scallions can also be planted without using seeds. Just replant the root end of scallion in a jar filled with just enough water to cover the scallion base. Leave the jar in a sunlit spot and wait until the roots start to grow. Once the roots are a couple of inches in length, re-plant the scallion in a pot or shallow container. Use scissors to snip off the green tops, leaving at least an inch of the stem. This allows the scallions to regrow again for the next harvest.

Tomatoes

Read more articles about indoor gardening and other home gardening ideas at HomeGardeningNews.com.

Sources:

Medium.com

TheSpruce.com