Starting an Indoor Garden

Image for post Photo taken by Vrinda Bajaj

For all you budding gardeners looking to get started on your green fingers before the spring season comes around, here is our guide on how you can start your own indoor garden! Below we have detailed how to start an indoor garden, how you can use recycled glass jars as planters, and reasons why you should start an indoor garden.

Creating your indoor garden:

Starting an indoor garden is fairly simple and most beginner gardeners use it as their introduction to growing plants. There are many plants that can grow on your windowsill, including most herbs, tomatoes, avocados, lemons, mandarin oranges, and even coffee!

For those of us living on Campus East, we?re in a pretty ideal spot as the huge B&Q in York is less than a 10 minute walk away! There you can get all your seeds at a low price, plant pots, specialised soil, and watering equipment to store in your room. You can even buy growing lights from there at a reasonable price if you?re looking to raise higher maintenance plants. For those who don?t have the time to go on a shopping trip or don?t want to face having to carry everything back, don?t worry because Amazon has a great selection of starting kits! You can also order small watering sprays, seeds, and plant trays from Amazon as well.

Looking for something a bit cheaper? Start keeping your glass jars and recycle them as planters. This way you don?t have to spend money on plant pots and make the glass bin a little lighter. Come along to our gardening club next term where we can supply you with everything you need to start your own indoor garden at the cost of nothing!

Planting in recycled glass jars ? A step-by-step guide:

Image for post Photo taken from boldhome.net

Please note: This is only suitable for plants that don?t have deep growing roots, which is why we recommend growing herbs in glass jars.

Make sure to wash your jars out so they are completely clean (you don?t want any extra surproses growing in there!)
Fill the bottom of the jar with a small layer of pebbles. This is so they can catch any excess moisture as there are no draining holes at the bottom.
Then fill the jar up with compost about of the way full, leave at least an inch between the top of the soil and the top of the jar.
Plant the seeds of your choice by sprinking a small amount of seeds on top of the soil and water lightly (this gives you an optimum chance for them to start growing).
Once planted, make sure that the seeds are sufficiently watered and are given plenty of sunlight (your windowsills should be an ideal place).

Why should you have an indoor garden?

Apart from having fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables to use in your cooking, there are some extra bonuses that come from having an indoor garden. This is including but not limited to:

Some plants are natural air purifiers and can protect you from having respiratory problems, dry coughs, and sore throats. As you know that university halls are basically breeding grounds for all kinds of colds, this is a good way to protect yourself from having a year-long cough!
Not only that, but certain plants can also help you sleep better by the soothing fragrance they give off. This includes jasmise, lavender, and aloe vera.
If you?re someone who regularly buys herbs for cooking, then it?s a fact that this can save you some money. Growing your own herbs gives you an endless supply of cooking ingredients at the cost of next to nothing.
Plants are also a known stress relief. That?s why it?s a good idea for you to surround yourself with plants that you?ve been working hard to raise, whether they be on your desk or your windowsil. Plus, it?s a little reminder that if you have the willpower to keep a plant alive, then you have the willpower to get through those assignments!
It goes without saying that having plants adds some extra ambience to your room, and you can have some added fun by painting your plant pots to match your room interior!
Most importantly: you don?t have to bother with going outside and braving the cold weather in order to tend to your plants, which makes them fairly easy to maintain.

Image for post Photo taken from inhabitat.com