Is an indoor garden a realistic dream? And is it something that can be done on a budget?
I would love to have my own garden. Something that is probably not ever going to happen. This is why I would like to figure out how to make my flat into an indoor garden.
This post is mostly so I can write down my ideas. There will be follow-up posts eventually.
Project Specifications
Limits
- They should be mostly native to the UK
- The garden needs to be safe for and safe from cats
- Ideally, low maintenance
- The plants should not need special feed or overly exacting care requirements
- My plants need to be okay with me forgetting to water them sometimes (hardy).
- Must be okay with lots of water or well-drained when well-meaning folks drown them
- Must be Inexpensive
- Ideally easy to propagate
- Easily grown from cuttings or seeds
Propagation
I would ideally like to have plants that I can spend time propagating so I can give plants as gifts to other plant lovers and also so that there are redundant examples of each plant type to guard against something stupid wiping out one species.
I would like a setup where I can propagate from seed saving. For example supermarket fruit (peppers, tomatoes, etc.).
Difficult ideas
Some things that I would like to grow which might prove challenging include.
- Strawberries – easy to grow but must be manually pollinated due to no bees in the flat.
- Fruit and veg for eating – nice idea but no idea how to do it.
- Composting – could be tricky.
Trees?
I quite like the idea of growing miniaturised trees (bonsai). This is probably the only way I can have trees.
Sealed systems?
I would like to have plants growing near and around my computer and electrical stuff. I think this would be safest with some sort of (sealed) terrarium.
Prior art
My flat currently has two long windows with planters filled with plants.
I have two seed-grown Rosemary – one of a decent size and one tiny (which will go to a friend’s outdoor garden in the spring).
I have an aloe vera in a little pot (a gift).
Also some cactus plants.
I have a bunch of wildflowers taking up three window boxes presently.
There is a window box with two types of chives. The garlic chives are doing well (one is already flowering). The regular chives are on the third planting and are tiny and pathetic.
There were more but cat.
