In Florida, where I live, it’s the perfect time to kick off our fall gardens. It is still very hot and very humid, with torrential rains, not at all conducive for young “cold climate” plants. We’re excited to begin in a couple of weeks.
When I lived in Indiana and Kentucky, Labor Day weekend was always my time to clean up the garden. But there’s still time in some areas of the country to plant cold-hardy veggie like radishes, spinach, lettuce, and turnips. These crops can mature within 30-60 days, making them ideal for a fall harvest before the first frost.
To protect your crops against early frosts and freezes, you can use row covers, cold frames, or cloches. These methods help trap heat and shield your plants from frost, extending the growing season and safeguarding your harvest.
Additionally, mulching around your plants can insulate the soil and protect the roots from freezing temperatures.
No matter where you are, though, you can always grow a salad inside your home. You actually do not even need a lot of space, just enough indoor space to allow for good air circulation.
Lettuce, green onions, and even tomatoes are all easy to grow indoors. And, yes, even root vegetable like radishes and carrots will grow in small spaces.
With the proper care and right conditions, you can enjoy your own vegetables year round, even during the winter months! Let’s dive in!
What You Need
Containers
Choose a container with a good drainage hole(s) to keep your plants healthy and prevent root rot. For indoor gardening, pots work best, but buckets or old crates can also be used.
Make sure the container is large enough for your plants. Radishes, green onions, and lettuce don’t need deep pots.
Quality Potting Mix
Use a high-quality potting mix designed for vegetables. Unlike garden soil, potting mix provides good drainage and aeration for container plants.
Over the years, I’ve bought all sorts of soil….and my personal favorite to date is FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil. It is ideal for container gardens, houseplants, and even seedlings.
The rich ingredients in Ocean Forest provide the proper environment for seedlings to become vigorous plants.
Ingredients include 50-60% aged forest products, sphagnum peat moss, perlite, sandy loam, and fertilizer derived from fish emulsion, crab meal, shrimp meal, earthworm castings, bat guano, kelp meal, and oyster shell.
Regular Watering and Feeding
Water your plants regularly and check the soil daily. If it feels dry, give your plants a drink.
That said, avoid overwatering, as it can lead to root problems. Feed your plants with a balanced fertilizer every few weeks to provide the necessary nutrients.
Sunlight
I believe that providing enough light is the biggest hurdle to overcome with indoor vegetable gardening.
Plants need sunlight to grow well. Place your containers where they get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. A south-facing window is idea.
You will not have healthy plants if they don’t have adequate light.
You may need to obtain an alternative light source if natural light is insufficient. Grow lights are readily available and moderately priced. Position the grow light close to the plants and keep them on for about 12-16 hours daily.
Seeds or Seedlings
Purchase seeds or seedlings suitable for container gardening. Choose varieties that will thrive indoors. I’ll suggest some varieties as we go along.
What to Grow
Lettuce
It is difficult to grow head lettuce as an indoor plant. However, leafy greens are easy and leaf lettuce is an excellent choice for indoor gardens. Good varieties include:
- Black Seeded Simpson: A fast-growing variety with light green, tender leaves. It’s perfect for salads and does well in both cool and warm climates.
- Red Romaine: Known for its beautiful red-tinted leaves and crisp texture, this variety adds a pop of color to any salad. It’s heat-tolerant and has a slightly sweet flavor.
- Little Gem: A small, compact lettuce variety with crisp, sweet leaves. It’s great for individual salads or small garden spaces and is known for its buttery texture.
Use a pot that is 6 to 8 inches deep.
Harvest: Use the “cut and come again” method. Cut the outer leaves, leaving the inner leaves and growing point intact. This allows the lettuce to regrow, providing fresh greens for multiple harvests.
Spinach
Spinach is also great for indoor gardening. Try varieties like Baby’s Leaf and Space.
- Baby’s Leaf: A tender, mild-flavored spinach variety that’s perfect for fresh salads or light cooking. It has small, delicate leaves that are ideal for container gardens.
- Space: A smooth-leaf spinach variety known for its resistance to bolting in warmer weather. It has dark green leaves that are rich in flavor and packed with nutrients.
Use a pot that is 6 to 8 inches deep.
Harvest: You can use the “cut and come again” method for spinach, cutting the outer leaves while leaving the inner leaves and center intact.
Alternatively, harvest the entire plant when it reaches the desired size.
Regularly cutting back will give you fresh spinach over a longer period.
Radishes
Radishes grow quickly and don’t need much space. They need full sun and regular watering.
Good indoor varieties include:
- Cherry Belle: A classic round, red radish with crisp white flesh. Cherry Belle matures in about 22-30 days and is known for its mild, peppery flavor.
- French Breakfast: An elongated radish with a red top and white bottom, maturing in 25-30 days. It has a slightly milder taste and a crisp, crunchy texture.
- Easter Egg: A mix of colorful radishes in shades of pink, purple, red, and white. These round radishes mature in 25-30 days and add a fun variety to your fall garden.
- Daikon: A long, white radish that matures in 40-60 days. Daikon radishes are mild, with a crisp texture, and are often used in Asian cuisine.
- Rover: A round, bright red radish that matures in about 21-25 days. Rover radishes are known for their uniform shape and crunchy, mildly spicy flavor.
You will want to use a pot that is at least 6 inches deep.
Harvest: Harvest radishes when they are about 1 inch in diameter or slightly larger, depending on the variety. Here are some general guidelines for harvesting radishes:
- Check Size: Radishes are usually ready to harvest when they reach their mature size, which is often about 1 inch across. However, you can harvest them smaller if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Watch the Calendar: Most radish varieties mature in about 3 to 4 weeks from planting. Check the seed packet for specific timing, as different varieties may have slightly different maturation periods.
- Observe the Tops: When the radishes start to push up above the soil surface, it’s a sign that they are reaching maturity. The tops will look a bit like a small bulb or dome.
- Taste Test: If you’re unsure, you can pull one radish out to check the size and taste. If it’s crunchy and flavorful, it’s time to harvest the rest.
- Avoid Overgrowth: Avoid letting radishes stay in the soil too long, as they can become woody and bitter.
Carrots
Carrots can be grown indoors using shorter varieties. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
Good varieties include:
- Parisian Carrot: Small, round carrots ideal for containers.0
- Thumbelina: Small, round carrots great for quick harvesting.
- Little Finger: Slender, baby carrots with a crisp taste.
- Nantes: Slightly longer carrots known for their sweet flavor.
- Tonda di Parigi: Round, baby carrots with a tender, sweet taste.
Choose a pot that is at least 12 inches deep.
Harvest carrots when they reach the desired size, which varies depending on the variety. Here are some general guidelines for harvesting carrots:
- Size Check: For most container varieties, such as ‘Parisian Carrot’ or ‘Thumbelina,’ carrots are ready to harvest when they are about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Larger varieties like ‘Nantes’ may be ready when they reach about 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter.
- Timing: Carrots generally take 60 to 80 days to mature, depending on the variety. Check the seed packet for specific timing. If you planted in a container, start checking for readiness around the early part of this range.
- Top Appearance: Carrots are often visible at the soil surface. When the tops start to show and appear slightly larger, it’s a sign that the carrots are close to being ready.
- Taste Test: If you’re unsure, gently pull up one carrot to check its size and taste. If it’s tender and flavorful, it’s time to harvest the rest.
- Avoid Overgrowth: Don’t leave carrots in the soil too long, as they can become tough and woody. Harvest them promptly to ensure the best flavor and texture.
Green Onions
Green onions grow well in small pots.
Varieties:
- Evergreen Hardy: Thrives in indoor conditions.
- White Lisbon: Known for its mild flavor and compact growth.
- Tokyo Long White: Produces long, tender green onions.
- Chives: Although not a true green onion, chives can be grown indoors.
Use containers that are 4 to 6 inches deep.
Harvest: Green onions are ready to harvest when they are about 6 to 8 inches tall, usually around 6 to 8 weeks after planting. You can either pull the entire plant or snip off the outer leaves, allowing the inner part to continue growing.
Tomatoes
Of all the vegetables we are growing indoors, tomatoes need a larger pot, at least 12 to 18 inches in diameter and depth. They require bright sunlight. As necessary, use stakes or cages to support the tomato plants as they grow. This helps prevent them from becoming too heavy and falling over.
Varieties: You will notice that all of our varieties are dwarf or “compact” plants.
- Cherry Falls: Compact, cherry-sized tomatoes perfect for containers.
- Tiny Tim: Dwarf variety for small pots.
- Bush Early Girl: Grows to a manageable size with medium-sized tomatoes.
- Balcony: Compact variety that thrives in containers.
- Golden Nugget: Produces bright, golden cherry tomatoes.
Harvest: Tomatoes typically take 50 to 80 days to mature. Harvest them when they are fully colored and firm to the touch. Gently twist or cut them from the vine to avoid damaging the plant.
Final Thoughts
Growing a variety of vegetables indoors can be a practical way to enjoy fresh produce all year round. With the right containers, potting mix, watering, feeding, and sunlight, you can successfully cultivate lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, green onions, and tomatoes right in your home.
One last important thing. – gardening is not just about growing plants; it’s about cultivating joy, creativity, and a bit of adventure. So get your hands dirty, grab some seed packets, and most importantly, have fun with it! Happy gardening!
Please check out this other article I’ve written for additional information:
Container Gardening: Enjoying Greenery in Small Spaces
Additional Resources:
- Empress of Dirt: How to Grow Vegetables Indoors
- Homesteading Secrets: Transform Tiny Spaces With These Top Veggies for Container Gardening
- The Spruce: 13 Best Vegetables for Growing Indoors