Although gardening is frequently thought of as a seasonal activity, you can still garden in the winter by learning some slightly different guidelines. Knowing which crops suit indoor farming is the first and most crucial step. Surprisingly, many veggies grow incredibly well indoors throughout the winter months. The key thing is to establish the ideal circumstances for each.
Microgreens
Microgreens are simply sprouts that have had their first set of leaves allowed to grow. Alternatively, you may refer to them as early-harvested baby greens. Microgreens need soil, not sprouts; therefore, a seedling tray full of potting soil is ideal.
After soaking the seeds for a whole night to initiate germination, either lightly cover the seeds with soil or gently push them into the soil’s surface. Keep the soil wet. When the first leaves appear, harvest them by scissor-cutting them slightly above the ground.
Herbs
Nothing beats using freshly picked, organic herbs in a winter dinner. It will make the food tasty, and you’ll also save money. While advising on the importance of year-round landscaping, Atlanta, GA Realtors suggested that basil, cilantro, mint, thyme rosemary, sage, and dill are annual herbs that grow quickly even during winter and thrive in grow lights.
Mint is the most tolerant of these to shade, but it still needs some hours of direct sunlight per day to grow well. Since dill and basil require the most heat, you should make sure they are kept in an area that is warmer than 60 degrees at night.
Greens
Although it’s easier to pick leafy greens as tiny plants rather than trying to nurture them to maturity, lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula, and other greens are also easy to grow inside during winter. You should sow fresh seeds every few weeks to keep a supply of seeds readily available.
The best thing is that greens don’t require extra lighting when positioned in a south-facing window that is a bit sunny. If not, give 10 to 12 hours a day of artificial light. Learn about the best lighting for indoor growing.
Carrots
In winter, you can plant carrots indoors and harvest the stems, or you can wait until the roots appear. Once more, it’s advisable to choose a carrot variety that is smaller in size or more suited to container gardening. Little finger carrots are a fantastic choice.
Keep the soil continually moist as it germinates. This is vital! Your carrots will start to sprout in 10–12 days. When necessary, thin them out by removing any carrot tips that are too close together, and they will be ready to harvest in 60–75 days!
Cherry Tomatoes
Of all the fruiting crops, cherry tomatoes are the easiest to grow indoors, but they do need artificial light—roughly 16 hours a day. Maintaining a temperature over 65 degrees at night is also necessary for them to flourish. The ideal temperature for a warm sunroom is between 75 and 80 degrees during the day.
A Key Takeaway
You must utilize a grow light to grow veggies inside successfully. This is particularly important when there are few daylight hours in the winter. Also, continue providing the right balance of water and fertilizer.