Have you ever wished you could grow more indoors, but you’re not sure how to do it? Starting an indoor garden as a beginner can be intimidating, but you don’t have to do it alone!
I’ve put together a guide on indoor gardening for beginners to help you get started. You’ll see what plants grow well indoors, what tools you need, and some tips to help you along the way.
Gardening indoors is easier than you might think, even for beginners! With this guide, you’ll be well on your way to starting a healthy and thriving indoor garden.
Why Garden Indoors?
There are many reasons why you might be considering starting a garden indoors.
For some people, there simply isn’t a good place to have an outdoor garden. Maybe you live in a high-rise apartment with a small balcony that doesn’t get any sun, or your house is built on a hill without a good spot to put a garden.
Other people want to grow food and other plants indoors year-round when the weather makes it impossible to garden outdoors.
Indoor gardening could simply be a way to connect with nature and bring the outdoors in.
Whatever your reasons for getting started, indoor gardening opens up a whole world of possibilities for planting and growing.
Benefits of Indoor Gardening
Indoor gardening has so many benefits. Relieve stress, grow fresh and healthy food, feel connected to nature, clean the air, or add some personality to your indoor spaces.
Growing a healthy garden is so satisfying and rewarding.
And the good news is you don’t need any skills to start a beginner’s indoor garden. A willingness to learn and some resources to help (like this guide!) are all you need to get started.
Common Types of Indoor Gardening
Gardening indoors for beginners can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Some people like to have a few attractive plants to brighten their space, while others want to grow their own food indoors. Here are some ideas for what you can grow in your indoor garden.
Indoor Decorative Plants
Decorative plants add beauty, clean the air, and bring a sense of calm to any indoor space. They come in all shapes and sizes, from large, feathery palms to tiny, round succulents and everything in between. Flowers, ferns, and even small citrus trees can all be grown indoors.
Many decorative plants are easy to care for, so they’re a good place to start for beginners, but you don’t have to stop there!
Edible Plants
You may be surprised how many edible plants can be grown indoors. Fresh herbs, leafy greens like lettuce and kale, mushrooms, beans, and even tomatoes and bell peppers can all thrive in an indoor garden.
Edible plants are sometimes harder to care for, but they don’t have to be. Growing herbs, for example, is a simple and easy way to grow nutritious greens indoors. If you’re feeling adventurous and have the space, dwarf tomato varieties like Container’s Choice Red are wonderful indoor gardening plants.
Hydroponics
Hydroponics makes indoor gardening for beginners incredibly simple. With a countertop system, all you have to set it up, and you’re ready to go. Plants are grown in water with a nutrient-rich solution instead of soil.
The options for hydroponic growing are practically endless. You can grow lettuce and other greens, flowers, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, cucumbers, celery, and much more.
Sprouts and Microgreens
Sprouts and microgreens are some of the easiest things to grow indoors. They don’t require a lot of space or supplies, and they grow quickly.
They’re also nutrient dense and incredibly nutritious.
If you’d like to add nutritious food to your beginner’s indoor garden, you can’t go wrong with sprouts or microgreens.
Things to Think About When Starting an Indoor Garden
Before starting an indoor garden as a beginner, it’s helpful to know what plants need to grow so you can provide those conditions indoors.
Location
Plants need space. The types of plants you choose and how many you have will determine how much space you need for your indoor garden.
Consider what you want to grow to help you decide how much space you’ll need. When it comes to growing surfaces, there are many things that work well. Seed starting racks, plant shelves, a folding table, or even a kitchen counter are all possibilities.
If you want a beautiful indoor garden, an attractive shelf may be worth the investment, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a fancy system or plant shelf if you don’t want to. Something you have around the house may work just as well.
Light
Providing the right amount of light is one of the most important things to do when starting an indoor garden as a beginner. The amount of light needed varies depending on what you’re growing. Learn about the light needs for whatever plants you decide to grow so you can make sure to provide the appropriate amount of light.
Some plants need a lot of direct light, while other plants thrive in low, indirect light.
As a general rule of thumb, edible plants need much more light than most decorative houseplants.
Water
Regular watering is an essential part of indoor gardening for beginners. Just like light, water needs vary depending on the type of plant you’re growing. Some plants can handle a bit of drought, while others shrivel up very quickly without enough moisture.
Understanding the water needs of the plants you’re growing is a crucial step in providing the proper care.
Soil
Soil is where plants get most of the nutrients they need to grow. Choosing the right soil has a huge impact on the overall success of your beginner’s indoor garden.
Use a high-quality potting mix for your potted plants to keep them healthy and thriving. For most plants, all-purpose potting soil works well. Plants picker about growing conditions sometimes benefit from a more specific blend like a succulent mix.
To start plants from seed, use a seed starting mix, then move the seedlings up into potting mix after they’ve developed their first set of true leaves.
Fertilizer
Nutrients in potting soil are used up by plants as they grow. To keep plants growing strong, those nutrients need to be replenished with fertilizer.
Regularly fertilizing indoor plants is a good way to ensure they have all the nutrients needed in order to grow strong and healthy.
Temperature and Humidity
If your house is a comfortable temperature for you, it’s probably comfortable for your plants, but some plants are pickier about temperature and humidity than others. Keep heat-loving plants in a warm area away from drafty windows. Increase humidity for moisture-loving plants by spritzing them with a spray bottle every once in a while.
The time when plants need the most warmth is when seeds are germinating. A grow mat is a good way to ensure your seeds stay happy and warm while sprouting.
Tools for a Beginner Starting an Indoor Garden
With the right tools, indoor gardening for beginners becomes a piece of cake. Quality tools make indoor gardening easier and set you up for success from the get-go. Here are some supplies I recommend for a beginner’s indoor gardening setup.
Grow Lights
Getting enough light indoors can be a challenge for some indoor gardening plants. Especially those that love direct sunlight. If you don’t have a large sunny window to put your plants in front of, a grow light can help bridge the gap to ensure your plants receive plenty of light.
This hanging grow light kit from Hoss is my favorite. It’s excellent quality and easy to use.
Another good options is this clip-on grow light from Amazon. It’s quite a bit smaller than the Hoss light, but it also comes with a smaller price tag.
Indoor Gardening Kits
A kit is a great way to start indoor gardening for beginners. You get a lot of supplies all at once, making things easy. Kits come in all shapes and sizes and include a wide range of supplies.
This seed starting kit from Hoss includes two 24-cell trays, a bottom tray, a humidity dome, seed starting mix, seedling fertilizer, and labels. All you’ll need are the seeds!
This hydroponic growing kit comes with a water reservoir, adjustable grow light, and eight baskets with growing sponges to get you started.
This herb growing kit includes everything you need to start an indoor herb garden. You get containers, soil, seeds, labels, and a helpful instruction guide.
Containers
Something to hold your beautiful plants in is a must. Containers come in all different shapes and sizes. They’re a great way to express your personality in your beginner’s indoor garden.
For seed starting, you’ll need seed starting trays or small pots like these. Larger plants need bigger containers, so their roots have space to stretch and grow.
Whatever plants you end up growing, make sure your containers have good drainage holes on the bottom. It’s important to let excess water drain out to avoid root rot.
Soil
As mentioned above, soil is an important part of a successful indoor gardening setup. Choose high-quality potting soil like Miracle-Gro Moisture Control or Burpee Organic.
For starting plants from seeds, a seed starting mix is the best choice. Seed starting mix is specifically designed to help seeds germinate and provide the ideal environment for very young plants.
My absolute favorite seed starting mix is Sun-Gro Black Gold. I’ve used some other mixes, but I always come back to this one because it gives me such great results every time.
Once seeds develop their first set of true leaves, they can be moved into larger containers with potting soil.
Seeds
One of the best retailers for quality garden seeds is Hoss Tools. They have a wide selection of seeds to choose from, many of which are well-suited to indoor gardening for beginners.
You can also find racks of seeds for sale in many stores during the spring and summer months.
Plants
Potted plants are available at nurseries and garden centers during the spring and summer, or you get them year-round online.
Nature Hills Nursery is a great place to browse for potted plants. They have a wide selection, and they ship right to your door. Amazon also has a decent selection of live plants to order.
Extra Tools
Tips on Indoor Gardening for Beginners
You don’t have to have a green thumb to learn how to start an indoor garden as a beginner. Here are some tips to get your garden started on the right foot!
Research first. Before deciding what you’d like to grow, research to see what plants grow well indoors and how best to care for them. We have indoor gardening articles to help.
Start Slow. Choose a few things to start with and then go from there. It may be tempting to start a huge indoor garden all at once, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Start with just a few things, then build on your success by adding more plants.
Grow what you love. Choose plants you enjoy and want to have around. There’s no sense in growing plants you don’t like just because a list told you it grows well inside. Pick things you like, and you’ll be more motivated to take care of them.
Keep an eye on your plants. One of the best ways to keep plants healthy is to check on them regularly. That way, you’ll be able to see when they need water or if they’re showing any signs of distress. By spotting problems early, you can address them before they become major issues.
Final Thoughts on Indoor Gardening for Beginners
Indoor growing is something anyone can learn how to do. Here at Minneopa Orchards, we have resources to help you every step of the way. To get ideas on what to grow, check out the best Indoor Gardening Plants.
For more information on indoor gardening for beginners, check out the Seed Starting page on our website. There you’ll find ideas for what to grow indoors, get tips and tricks, product recommendations, and find answers to your indoor planting and growing questions. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone thinking about starting an indoor garden.