(Photo Credit: fancy frugal life)
No yard, no problem, here’s how to grow your veggies and herbs at home
If you want to spice up your culinary skills and know where your food comes from, you can grow delicious herbs and vegetables in your home. All you need is light, a good selection of plants, and an adventurous spirit. Follow these steps on how to plant a mini garden at home and even have fresh greenery throughout the winter.
Pick the right spot
Almost all plants need 6-8 hours of full sun each day. Ideally, the temperature should be between 18 and 22C. Choose the sunny side and make sure that there’s always enough fresh air.
Go for larger pots
The planting pots for a mini garden should be large for the roots to have as much space as possible. Choose the ones at least four inches deep, with holes for drainage. You can also grow herbs in pots with a diameter of at least 12 centimeters.
The soil
Use a drainage mix for planting because the garden soil is too compact. Look for a mix containing peat, perlite, or vermiculite that helps keep the soil loose and airy. Fill the bowl with a mixer up to 2.5 centimeters in height and fill the rest with moist soil.
What to grow?
Once the soil is ready, it’s time to prepare the seeds for planting. Since this is a typical garden, options are somewhat limited. However, you can grow lettuce, radishes, basil, arugula, broccoli, licorice, and other herbs. That’s more than enough for a great start.
Start planting
Once the soil is ready, it’s time to start digging. The gap between the holes should be at least an inch or two. Don’t worry if the plants are densely planted. It’s better to have more than fewer seedlings. Then cover the seeds with a mix and moist soil.
Not all plants are the same
When you harvest the fruits from your mini garden, the new stems will not grow. So you have to develop new ones, following the same instructions. But don’t worry, once you get into gardening, you won’t have difficulties keeping up with the needs of each plant.
Additional tips:
You don’t need fertilizer for a mini home garden. These plants only need sunlight and regular watering. Depending on the type of plant, the first leaves will appear as early as three to five days after planting.
Most plants in your mini garden will be ready for use after 10 to 14 days. Cut them with scissors, forming clusters just above the surface of the soil. Wash them in cold water, and they are ready for use.
