Inspired Indoor Gardening Ideas to Get You Through a Long Winter

The end of summer doesn't necessarily mean the end of gardening season! Keep your green thumb supple with these indoor gardening techniques from expert Carson Arthur.

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Vertical planters in bathroom
Photo: Minigarden

Indoor Gardening Ideas Worth Trying

No room under your roof for indoor gardening? A wall-mounted planter brings a garden to the smallest, shadiest spaces. “Plants with large leaves can turn minimal light into more energy,” says Carson Arthur, gardening and outdoor design expert. When watering, check the soil at the highest point first—it dries out quicker than lower sections.

Check out these stackable wall-mounted planters from Minigarden—what a brilliant way to bring life to a dead corner!
Corner set (column of three stackable planters), Minigarden

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Indoor gardening ideas - windowsill herb garden
Photo: Geshas / Shutterstock.com

Windowsill Edibles

“A windowsill planter is like a living salad bowl,” says Arthur. Plant leaf lettuce and veggies in potting mix; herbs prefer sandy soil. Place on a windowsill with eastern or southern exposure for the most natural light in winter.

Find out which houseplants thrive in near-darkness.

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Indoor gardening ideas - tray of succulents
Photo: Boyloso / Shutterstock.com

Living Centrepieces

Dress a tabletop with a tray of succulents or a vessel potted with flowering houseplants. They’ll last longer than cut stems and require little maintenance beyond the occasional watering, says Arthur.

Psst—these hacks can revive almost any dead plant!

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Indoor gardening ideas - kokedama
Photo: Federico Magonio / Shutterstock.com

Kokedama

This Japanese indoor gardening technique omits the pot. Gently remove the dirt from the roots of your plant (ones with small root bases, such as ferns and ivy, work best), and swaddle it in a damp mixture of peat moss and bonsai soil shaped into a ball. Wrap the sphere in sheet moss secured with twine and suspend from the ceiling to create a hanging garden. Mist daily and water well when it feels lighter in weight.

Here’s how to get rid of fungus gnats—a houseplant’s worst enemy.

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Tillandsia air plant in bowl
Photo: enchanted_fairy / Shutterstock.com

Air Plants

Tillandsia, otherwise known as air plants, require good light, air circulation and little else. These indoor gardening staples grow without soil and do well with a daily misting and a weekly soak in a bowl of water for 15 minutes.

Inspired by these indoor gardening ideas, but still concerned about maintenance? These hardy indoor plants are virtually indestructible!

Reader's Digest Canada
Originally Published in Reader's Digest Canada

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