Indoor Gardening Supplies

Indoor gardening supplies come in very handy for starting an indoor garden regardless if you want just houseplants or want to grow vegetables. The space you want to devote for your plants and the lighting will determine the indoor gardening supplies that you will need. There are basic supplies that you will need and some others that will be helpful depending on your particular garden.

Surface protection: All the surfaces you use for an indoor garden need to be protected from water damage and accidental spills of soil. This can be done by using plastic trays under the plant containers or a drop cloth or sheet of pliable plastic under larger planters and plant stands. Soil: A loose potting soil that is of good quality needs to contain the nutrients your specific houseplants need for roughly ten weeks. Plants that grow longer will probably need a little fertilization and it is best to use a water-soluble type that is recommended for your plants. Fertilization: Nutrients can also be added to the soil by adding compost or fish emulsion. There is always a question about which nutrients are better for your plants, organic or man-made. Organic fertilizers will give your vegetables and fruits better flavor and the man-made fertilizers have a high level of minerals that are needed for the growth of houseplants or indoor garden plants. There is also a spray that is meant for the leaves of your houseplants: houseplants can also absorb nutrients through their leaves.

Plant containers: You need to select containers that are large enough for your plants and to make sure they have the proper drainage. Root rot is caused by standing water at the plant container's base. Tropical plants should be planted in plastic containers because they will retain the humidity much better than terracotta or clay pots. Water: Purified distilled water is best to use on the plants as tap water could possibly contain pH levels or mineral deposits that will damage the plants. Air ventilation: All types of plants will benefit from proper air circulation and this can be done by placing them near low blowing oscillating fans or windows. You do not want to expose them to a direct flow of air for too long of a period; if left too long they will most likely dry out. Natural pesticides: In order to keep your pets and family safe, controlling houseplant pests with dish soap, hot peppers or alcohol are the best natural pesticides that can be used.

Plants generally need a lot of sunlight to survive. For those who live in areas where sunlight is scarce, or for the dark winter months, grow lights will make a great supplement to natural light. Florescent lighting has been used for many years as a form of grow lights. They were most often used for seeding or for plants that only needed low light. The more mature plants need to have much more light and high intensity lights or HID's are now used for indoor gardening. Many HID grow light systems can be hung from ceiling hooks work wonders for several plant groupings. Some houseplants can survive if placed in open areas that receive indirect sunlight.

Hydroponic gardening is another way to grow an indoor garden and this type of gardening does not use soil. Hydroponic gardening supplies or kits come in different sizes for your own personal needs and are easy and fast to set up by following simple instructions. They have become very popular because you do not need any soil and this process will eliminate disease, pests and those pesky weeds.

A sturdy plant stand or a table on wheels can be a wonderful solution for moving plants around to different areas of the home as needed. It can be a lot easier on one's back by standing or sitting on a tall stool to work on maintaining the garden by using one of these plant stands. Working on several seedlings and having to transplant them into larger containers, a mobile stand helps to move plants to another gardening area much easier.  

Some indoor gardening tools such as a hand rake and a trowel should complete your indoor gardening supplies for that garden you have always wanted in the winter. You may still need to look out for pests that will enjoy your plants as much as you do, just use one of the natural pesticides that are listed above. Indoor gardening can be very enjoyable and sometimes therapeutic for many people. Indoor gardening supplies are still very important no matter how large or small your gardening space.