Indoor gardening guide: What you need to get started growing indoors
Maybe you don't have much outdoor space for gardening. Maybe you want access to fresh herbs and vegetables all year. Or maybe you just want to get an early start on the growing season. Regardless, now is a good time consider getting a start on indoor gardening. You can grow pesticide-free produce, herbs and more from the warmth of your own kitchen. You can occasionally save money on groceries, and you, of course, get rresher-than-farm-fresh ingredients to cook with. There's also the option of starting plants indoors and moving them outdoors once the risk of frost has finally passed.
To begin indoor gardening, you'll need the right gear. We've found a number of great indoor gardening ideas, including affordable tabletop options, as well as larger and pricier setups that include everything you need to go (and grow) big. Explore some popular indoor gardening options ahead, from hydroponic gardens to simple seed starters.
Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 self-watering indoor garden
Grow herbs and vegetables with this self-watering indoor garden. The planter base has a built-in water reservoir for a month's worth of water and comes in three colors. There's an LED lamp arm, and the kit comes with three basil starter pods in a proprietary soil mix.
Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 self-watering indoor garden, $140
Lettuce Grow The Farmstand
This self-watering, self-fertilizing Farmstand comes in five sizes and an indoor and outdoor version. If you're growing indoors, it's recommended that you also buy the Glow Rings (indoor lamps). Prices start at $348 to grow 12 plants; the pictured version, the largest, grows 36 plants. Lettuce Grow sells non-GMO veggies, fruits and herbs you can plant in The Farmstand.
Lettuce Grow The Farmstand, $348 and up
AeroGarden Harvest
This indoor garden with an LED grow light grows up to six plants at a time. With this hydroponic grow kit, the plants grow in water, not soil. The kit comes with an herb seed pack that includes Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil and mint, plus a bottle of plant nutrients. The AeroGarden Harvest's control panel automatically turns the lights on and off and tells you when to add water and plant food.
AeroGarden Harvest, $131 (reduced from $150)
Vivosun 4 x 2 grow tent
If you're worried about your plants' growing environment, consider a grow tent to create the ideal setup. Put new and mature plants in this tent with a 98% reflective interior, which boosts their growth rate. It has an observation window, so you can see what's happening inside, and allows you to regulate the humidity, temperature and lights.
AeroGarden Farm 24XL with salad bar seed pod kit
This hydroponic garden grows up to 24 plants. It has adjustable height LED grow lights with an automatic sunrise and sunset feature. Its LED panel shows you your garden's vital statistics and gives reminders to add water and plant food. You can even control its settings remotely through an app. It comes with pods that grow into heirloom lettuces, herbs and other vegetables.
AeroGarden Farm 24XL with salad bar seed pod kit, $1,050
Just Vertical the Aeva indoor hydroponic garden
This splurge-worthy, vertical hydroponic garden looks more like home furniture then gardening gear. It holds 16 plants, which are grown in water, and a nutrient-based solution.
Just Vertical the Aeva indoor hydroponic garden, $1,149 (reduced from $1,199)
Self-watering seedling starter
Or, go the old-fashioned route with this self-watering seed starter kit. Just add soil and seeds. Place it in a window sill to watch your seedlings grow, and then replant them outdoors or in a pot. The kit's porous terracotta wicks away excess water, so seedlings don't have too much moisture.
Self-watering seedling starter, $43
