Small Space &/or Indoor Gardens

[GinnyPNW]

I like to garden, but I'm past the large outdoor gardens that I used to do. In So Cal, I had fruit trees, lemon, lime, tangelo, fig, avocado and an apple tree with 5 kinds of apples. We grew herbs, tomatoes, squish (my word for multiple kinds of squash), cucumbers, peppers...well, you get the picture. I had wonderful flower beds too. I think it is the flower beds that really did my knees in.

But I do enjoy having fresh herbs and homegrown tomatoes, peppers, greens (lettuce, bok choi, tatsoi, microgreens), and so on. There's nothing like walking across the room and picking just what you need, fresh, and using it right now. I love it! So, last year, I started with one hydroponic garden for herbs. That brought such joy and tasty salads and foods, that I got another and another and another! Now, I have 8 machines, capable of having up to 12 different gardens going! I confess, 2 of them haven't yet been used. I got them after I closed things down for a summer (camping trips) break.

So, do we have other indoor or small space gardeners? Hydroponic or other? Below are some of my current and past gardens... Uh, oh...photos aren't showing up. Not sure what I did wrong. (Help!?)

 

[GinnyPNW]

I'm going to try photos a different way...

 

[larry_stewart]

I've done hydroponic for awhile, then switched to Aquaponic ( basically hydroponic over a fish tank. The fish water fertilizes the plants and the plants filter the water for the fish.

Primarily herbs ( Basil / Parsley) for the winter, but Ive also done lettuce and other leafy greens.

They are also good systems to root cuttings from the garden ( Fig tree cuttings, rosemary ...).

In addition to the above, I usually do mushrooms over the winter as well. Primarily Oysert mushrooms, as they are the easiest ( at least for me) to do indoors.

Im looking to getting another hydroponic system, a little bigger, but still researching it.

My main reason for the indoor gardening is to keep me busy during the garden off season here in the North East ( Novemberish - Aprilish)

I do also grow sprouts . Ive tried a few different methods. One was the stacked plastic kind where there are a few different levels. Tteh water trickles down level to level. Ive found that on thee most successful for me.

I tried another that had these fibrous mats that the seeds sprouted on, but when they were wet they kinda smelled like dirty wet socks. My wife didnt appreciate that too much.

Then there was another where it was done in a canning jar, with a special mesh screw on top to allow the water to drain, Worked but not as easy as the plastic stacked method.

I know there is another method using a burlap - like bag. haven't tried it yet.

I also take thee bottom inch or so( with the roots ) of scallions , toss them in a glass with a little water in it, and usually within a week or so the green portion grows back.

 

[GinnyPNW]

Thanks, Larry! Yes, we have a similar off season here too. That and all the wildlife make outside gardening more of a challenge. I wouldn't mind having a structure, green house or other, but I don't want to build it for this house. Maybe the next one. For me, having the indoor gardens gives me most of what I want anyway. Short of moving to someplace that would allow growing citrus type stuff.

 

[larry_stewart]

Thanks, Larry! Yes, we have a similar off season here too. That and all the wildlife make outside gardening more of a challenge. I wouldn't mind having a structure, green house or other, but I don't want to build it for this house. Maybe the next one. For me, having the indoor gardens gives me most of what I want anyway. Short of moving to someplace that would allow growing citrus type stuff.

I really, really, really want a greenhouse.
Just not sure where I could put it. Every inch of my property is accounted for. Also, if I get one, my wife would probably never see me again, as Id spend so much time in there. That might be a reason why she wants me to get one

 

[GinnyPNW]

Ha, ha! Whenever my DH asks, "where are you going to put it!?" My standard reply is, "on your side of the bed!" Doesn't matter what it is. He knows, if I really want it & we kinda need it, I'll find room for it...one way or another!

 

[karadekoolaid]

Beautiful!
My herb garden is just outside my kitchen, so it´s only a few steps to pick fresh basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme etc. But nothing indoors - I´ve got a 3000 ft garden ( mostly lawn) and a 6000 ft "wooded" area behind the house - not mine; it´s called a " Green Zone", but I keep it tidy.

 

[taxlady]

I don't quite garden. I get most of my veg from a company that delivers produce baskets. They have local partners and they grow a bunch of stuff in four, large rooftop greenhouses. They have the world's largest rooftop greenhouse. So, when I get their leafy vegis, they come with the living roots in the growth medium. The roots and growth medium are wrapped in a biodegradable "bag". So, for stuff like sorrel, rainbow chard, tatsoi, basil, etc. I plant them in pots near my patio door. It's not really gardening, but it does let me keep the plants alive for several weeks. Here's an article about them: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/world-largest-rooftop-greenhouse/

 

[pepperhead212]

I like that idea, taxlady! Amazing how much you can continue to harvest from many greens and herbs.

At the end of this month is when I set my hydroponics up again in the basement, in two deepwater systems, each with a powerhead, with a sponge filter on it, along with an airstone. The dead roots from the plants decompose and add nutrients to the water, and even after 7 months, there is very little in the containers - they are incredibly clean, other than the live plants, when removed.
27 gal tub, with powerhead filter and airstone. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here are more of the photos, showing the greens and herbs under the lights.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91097628@N06/albums/72157710578587486

 

[skilletlicker]

This is my seriously neglected four-year-old aquaponic system. It occupies 4 sq. ft. in my ~250 sq. ft. apartment. Sara and Maybelle started out the size of a child's thumb. Now they're big as my palm.

The grow bed is down to just thyme and basil. Previously held dozens of different herbs and greens. Two years ago I bought tomato seeds and a fancy grow light but never got around to setting it up.

Maybe this thread will inspire me to get back with the program. Thanks, Ginny.

 

[GinnyPNW]

Very cool, skilletlicker! Glad to help. That's a great light!

 

[taxlady]

I like that idea, taxlady! Amazing how much you can continue to harvest from many greens and herbs.

<snip>

It's not so much that I regrow stuff. I just plant the vegis when they arrive at my home. That way they stay fresh for weeks, much better than in the fridge. I snip off however much I need for what I'm preparing. Yes, sometimes there are a few new leaves, but mostly I'm just keeping my vegis alive. This also lets me have a bigger variety at any given time, since this stuff isn't taking up space in my refrigerator.