Free Garden Catalogs

Indoor Container Garden?

I'm about to start my container garden. I'm going to keep the garden indoors until its large enough to be transferred outdoors. Also, I have one of those greenhouse plastic coverings that I'm going to keep on until germination. I'm going to be planting cilantro, basil, beans, little finger carrots, bok choy, red cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers! What I need is some last-minute advice or gardening information. I have Jiffy's soilless seed starting mixture. What else do i need to add? Is it harmful to keep the fertilized soil indoors? I don't know just any information or techniques that can help me :) OHOH! and among the veggies I'm going to plant, which ones need special requirements or which ones require extra sunlight, water, or nutrients. If its cloudy... can I use any light as an "artificial sun" or do i need a special fluorescent one? While waiting for germination, should i keep the garden near a sunny window or in a warm spot with no sunlight.. Any advice will help

Public Comments

1. Peppers need 80 degree temps to sprout. Cucumbers take a lot of space, also tomatoes. Floresent lighting helps with the growing process. Sprouted seeds need humidity to keep the water into the stems and leaves. Over watering does not work, it rots the roots, or the seedlings die from damp off. What works for some plants is to put them between an window and the curtains. But if it is to cold it may not work for seeds just starting out. Seeds start better if you put empty plastic bottles slightly tilted down word on your container that you are growing in. Then the soil you are using on top. This helps the roots drain off. Some flower seeds have started in just a couple of days using this method. Consider upside down tomatoes and cucumbers. You can purchase the expensive Topsy Tervy containers, or create your own. P.S. Some of the dollar stores have hanging baskets that look like tomato cages turned up side down, that have the liners in them. Another method of keeping moisture in the leaves of your plants is by placing a sheet of wet rocks down, and put your pots on top of them. If you use flats with the little squares, put a few rocks under the squares to lift the squares up. This helps the air circulate through the roots. Then seed your soil, and use the plastic clear top. Happy planting.