The indoor garden.

indoor lights.jpg
 

Some seeds have to be (or do better if) sown directly into the ground (such as carrots and turnips) but I sow as many seeds as possible indoors because it is easier to control water and temperature. This indoor growing also allows you to get a jump start on the season and it allows you to start things before the outside crop is fully grown.

  • For example, I can plant spinach and lettuce seeds inside in February, well before you could ever do so outside.

  • I also can plan to harvest my beets in late May, but start a new batch of beets indoors in early May; as I pick the beets from the bed my new beet crop is already 4 weeks into maturity allowing for more production.

  • Almost all of the milkweed and coneflower in the yard I started from seed inside

  • My setup is pretty rough and it just uses regular fluorescent shop lights (no need for expensive grow lights). This system has worked well for me for many years. I built it myself from 2x3s but there are some on the market you can buy. With the lights and the wood this 4 shelf system (4 feet lights, two deep) cost me about 250$ (the lights are the most expensive part.)

  • The only small trick is that for the lights you need to buy the “coolest” spectrum you can. I got all of mine at a large home improvement store.