by Maggie O'Leary

Created on: February 17, 2009

An indoor container garden of vegetables or flowers is fairly inexpensive to get started. If you keep your garden inside, your plants will produce year-round, and the garden will pay for itself. Growing your own vegetables and flowers can stretch your grocery budget, especially if you enjoy having fresh flowers to decorate your home, and fresh vegetables for meals and snacks. Container gardens are also fairly low-maintenance.

First, you'll need to decide what flowers and/or vegetables you would like to grow. You can purchase seeds or starter plants at your local Lawn & Garden center or home improvement store. You'll also need a container to grow your plants in. You can purchase small pots for each plant, or you can purchase a larger, rectangular window box to hold all of your plants. And, don't forget the potting soil. There are several varieties of potting soil on the market - be sure to choose one that is specifically blended for indoor plants. You might also consider purchasing a potting soil that already contains plant food.

Once you have all of the necessary supplies, you'll want to set up your garden. Fill your containers with potting soil, and leave plenty of room in the top of the container. If you have separate pots for each plant, dig a small hole in the center of the pot, and put the seedling or seeds in the hole. Push the soil up around the plant, or cover the seeds well. Add just enough water to moisten the soil, but don't over-water.

If you have chosen a window box to hold all of your plants, fill the window box with soil, leaving room at the top to work. Dig holes and put your seedlings or seeds in the soil. Make sure you leave several inches of room between each plant. This allows the plants plenty of room to grow and thrive. This also ensures that the roots of each plant don't grow into the next plant. After you have placed the seeds or seedlings in the soil, arrange the potting soil around them. Add just enough water to moisten the soil, but don't over-water.

Once you have your container garden planted, make sure to place it in a window that gets plenty of sunlight. Keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet. Also consider feeding your plants a blend of plant food that is formulated for the type of plant. These plants will yield flowers or vegetables for years if cared for well. They will also provide much enjoyment to you and your family.

Learn more about this author, Maggie O'Leary.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.