Bringing outdoors in: Why you should start an indoor garden

One of my pepper pots I've put on a windowsill, simple!

I recently had a friend visit who asked, “Why so many plants indoors, isn’t it messy and annoying?” That prompted a bit of a think about something I’d not thought much about – as I’ve been doing it so long – growing indoors. Why do it? My reasons are partly practical (climatic conditions), partly aesthetic (nice to look at), partly optimizing space, and partly therapy. 

But why do other people do it? Some (admittedly not exhaustive) googling suggests that space and necessity are primary drivers, but also health concerns. With more people and less space in the world, indoor gardening is becoming quite trendy among urban dwellers. Add to this an increasing awareness about the harmful pesticides found on conventional produce, we’re voting with our green thumbs. 

We’re exposed to a cocktail of chemicals from our food on a daily basis (not even the guilty-pleasure junk food cocktail of chemicals we like, much more sinister). Rates of cancer, obesity, depression, anxiety, respiratory disorders and many other chronic illnesses are increasing among those living in urban areas. I’m not drawing a direct causal link between food quality and those conditions, but to discount entirely seems a touch naive. 

That’s all the misery, as thankfully gardening is an awesome preventative measure, which can be done relatively easily, and generates incredible emotional and health benefits. By incorporating indoor gardening, you have the ability to live a more natural and greener life in the comfort of your small home or apartment through indoor plants and container gardening. Indoor gardening also has a host of benefits as opposed to traditional gardening done outdoors. Still not convinced? Here are a few persuading reasons why indoor gardening should be on the top of your to-do list. 

It’s not hard to start

The first thing to do when starting an indoor garden is to identify your best source of light and add grow lights when needed. Buy a container that drains and a plate to capture the water so it doesn’t leek (apologies for the bad pun). Get a good potting soil and gather some rocks for drainage. If you’re feeling really adventurous, explore some hydroponic options, which are soil-free (something we’ve written about previously).  

It won't take you long

Don’t worry; you wont have to work over-thyme in this herb garden (on a terrible pun-ishing roll now). The time commitment is minutes a day once the initial set up. Set up can be less than an hour and benefits are 24 hours a day. 

It won't cost you much

All of the materials are inexpensive so don’t worry if your plants aren’t an award-winning success the first time around. Simply buy another pack of seeds or seedling. Or better yet, recycle. Cut off pieces of vegetables you already have and watch them regrow.

It’s less maintenance

In an indoor environment, gardening is a lot less maintenance and plants are somewhat safe from pests and disease. By growing your garden indoors, you have access to a controlled temperature, keeping your garden safe from wind and rain, and only allowing the necessary sunlight. 

You can plant a garden anywhere

Having chopped up your bottles, per the diagram above, why not decorate your least favourite window view with a green makeover!

The possibilities are endless- stairwells, bathrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and balconies. You can even get a little wild-vibe going on and hang plants from walls and ceilings. 

Food, glorious food

You get to devour, delicious healthy food at your fingertips. It doesn’t get much fresher than food grown by you. Growing your own food reduces the risk of chemical ingestion, which you find in foods that have been transported to your local grocery store. Not to mention, your food will be pesticide-free. Additionally, if you're concerns extend beyond potentially harmful chemicals to GMO seeds you can control the provenance of your cuttings or seeds. 

Breath of fresh air

You will have improved air quality. One of the major benefits of indoor gardening is that many houseplants help clean the air in the home. House paint, carpets, and building materials often release toxic gases and harmful organic compounds, that’s before we even get to pollution (and HAZE, for Singaporean readers!). Many types of houseplants are able to absorb the gases, reducing the pollution in the air. Indoor gardens store carbon dioxide and make your home rich with oxygen. The improved air quality lowers risk of respiratory disorders, as well as chronic headaches.

Eat, garden, love

You could be happier and more productive. Plants raise the humidity in a home and offer aromatherapy, which can calm nerves and make us more productive. Indoor gardening also has therapeutic benefits, which can help keep depression away. This won’t be the case for everyone, but I find the connection with soil, routine, creativity and miracle of nature (seeing things grow, daily) helps soothe a soul that can be battered by the disconnection common in cities. 

Critter control

Your fight with the parasites and insects is reduced. Rest assured, you will be at peas knowing your plants are safe. It is no mystery that when you have a garden outdoors, parasites will attach to your vegetables or herbs. By having an indoor garden, you can eliminate many parasites that are more common outdoors. Aside from parasites, you won’t have to worry about some insects either (for Singaporean readers, sadly ants will always remain a potential guest/pest, depending on how spiritual and/or Buddhist you're feeling!). But some insects, as well as some animals that borough in the dirt like moles, will attack outdoor gardens and ruin them. Growing a garden indoors reduces this annoying fight.

Ok, so not all of us are uber-rich and can have fancy home with amazing citrus fruit stairwells, but dreams are free, right!?

So lettuce review, you just can’t beet homegrown herbs and vegetables. We’ve previously covered heaps of fruit, veg and herbs you can grow inside, but a quick starter’s cheat list might include: carrots, garlic, salad greens, tomatoes, lemons, mushrooms, scallions, ginger, cilantro, rosemary, and peppers.