A Winter Indoor Gardening Adventure, with a Promise of Bountiful Harvest
Indoor gardening is becoming increasingly popular, and many gardeners are looking for ways to extend their growing season. This winter I decided to give indoor gardening another shot, with a trial run that will hopefully be successful enough to expand on it next year.
I used my existing grow area to start the seeds and planted some Black Seeded Simpson and Parris Island Romaine lettuce for my wife, who loves romaine but has gotten sick from it twice in the past. Additionally, I added some Beets to hopefully get a beet harvest so I can make pickled red beets.
On November 24th, 2018 I planted Beets - Detroit Dark Red (59 days), Romaine - Parris Island (70 days) and Lettuce - Black Seeded Simpson (45 days). On December 13th, 2018 I moved the lettuces to individual pots and they seemed to be doing well. On December 16th, 2018 I set up a new grow area and tried out some different setups.
After reading reviews and doing research, I ordered a Roleadro LED Grow Light, Galaxyhydro Series 1000W Indoor Plant Grow Lights Full Spectrum with UV&IR for Veg and Flower-1000w Panda Film. To support the lights, I made a table top that covers the Table Saw when not in use. Additionally, I had two lamp holders which may or may not be used. The tables were clamped to the garage door with C-clamps. If the plants got too tall for me to raise the lights anymore, I would drop the table down onto crates.
To prepare for planting, I mixed potting mix for the indoor veggies using peat moss, perlite, black Kow composted cow manure, pelleted time-release fertilizer (osmocote), blood meal and lime. Additionally, I re-potted two pepper plants that I pulled at the end of the season from an Aquaponics system and raised bed. One was Tabasco while the other one remains unknown.
I also ordered more seeds from Bakers Creek for the indoor salad garden: Red Welsh Bunching Onion, Arugula, Rocky Top Lettuce Mix Salad Blend and Green Wave Mustard. Furthermore, I transplanted Chives and Parsley from the garden as well as tomato plants into two gallon containers in grow bags for easier storage.
To increase humidity in the room, I added a pan of water on top of the heater on December 27th, 2018. By the end of this week we should know if more adjustments need to be made to heat and humidity levels. So far parsley is doing real well and chives have greened up a bit. We will know if the beets were worth it in a few weeks once they are harvested.
Overall, indoor gardening is proving to be quite an exciting challenge! With careful planning and attention to detail we hope our efforts will pay off with a bountiful harvest!
What is the indoor garden 2018-2019 revisited testing phase?
It is a trial run for next year to give indoor gardening another shot this winter. Existing grow area will be used to start the seeds and grow some herbs and leafy greens.
What plants were planted in the indoor garden?
Black seeded Simpson and Parris Island Romaine lettuce, Beets, Arugula, Bunching Onions, Lettuce mix and mustard greens were planted.
What equipment was used for the new grow area setup?
Roleadro LED Grow Light, Galaxyhydro Series 1000W Indoor Plant Grow Lights Full Spectrum with UV&IR for Veg and Flower-1000w Panda Film, lamp holders, tables, C-clamps, 3" deck screws and washers were used.
What was the potting mix used for the indoor veggies?
The potting mix used was 1 bucket (2 gallons) peat moss, 1 bucket (2 gallons) Perlite, 1/2 bucket (1 gallons) Black Kow composted cow manure, 1 cup pelleted time-release fertilizer (osmocote), 1/4 cup of Blood Meal½ cup lime.
What other adjustments were made to increase humidity in the room?
A pan of water was added on top of the heater to try to get the humidity up in the room. The Hygrometer and Thermometer were reset to see if the pan of water makes a difference in the humidity in the room.
How long does it take for the plants to be harvested?
Beets take 59 days, Romaine takes 70 days and Lettuce takes 45 days to be harvested.