Survival Gardening Indoors During the Winter

If you have "wised-up" and have begun a survival garden in your back yard, then you are definitely on the right track. But, the only problem with gardening outdoors, is that most of us live in climates not suitable to year-round gardening. Solution: bring the garden inside when it gets cold outside!

What Can I Grow?

There are many fruits and vegetables that can be grown in your home with a descent amount of success during the Winter months. Here are a few that do very well indoors:


Peppers
Tomatoes
Carrots
Cabbage
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Herbs
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Blueberries
Raspberries

Depending on how much space you have and have much time you have to devote to tending them, all of the above listed fruits and vegetables, and many more, can be grown successfully indoors. Each specific plant require its own specific care directions, but following you will find general "how to" instructions on where to get started.

General Steps for Growing Indoors During Winterr:


Use porous, non-glazed pots for planting. Match the pot size to the expected size of the full grown plant. Make sure the pot has an opening at the bottom for proper water drainage.
Water pretty frequently. Because our homes are heated during the Winter, the air can be dry, causes water to evaporate quicker. Water your plants on a regular, steady basis.
Because the plants are potted, their roots cannot reach for nutrients--they hit a wall! So, it is important to fertilize your plants on a regular basis. Because the plants are contained, it is recommended to use half the concentration you would use outdoors. A fertilizer I would Highly suggest for indoor container gardening is Protogrow, http://www.growlikecrazy.com/
Re-pot when needed. If you find that your plant is becoming too big for its container, it is time to transplant it to a new home. Use the original soil and new, nutrient rich soil. Re-potting can be traumatic to any plant, so be careful and patient.
Be sure to provide enough sunlight for your plant. Place them so that they can get at least 4-5 hours of sun a day (this will vary per plant), and it applicable, use fluorescent light to supplement the sunlight.

As stated, disaster can strike at any time, and it is important to be prepared. The more you know about survival gardening in any conditions NOW, they better off you will be LATER!

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