Living Green: Growing Your Food Indoor

Gardening is more than just a hobby for many. They like having plants around them, taking care of them, parenting them. They adorn gardening as a passion. If you’re one of those people who love gardening but lack enough space to curate a garden outside your house, you might consider a basement garden. Basement gardens are really popular amongst gardening amateurs these days. People use a part of their basement to grow their favorite vegetables and plants, depending upon the climate of the place. In this article, we shall be discussing some tips that could help you build a basement garden of your own and maintain it.

• The climate and the environment:

You must start by analyzing the climate of the place you live in and most importantly the environment of your basement. Most Vegetables and plants grow in a slightly warm environment. The temperature of the basement is usually lesser which makes the environment slightly colder, compared to the environment outside. Therefore, in most cases, gardeners use heaters and other electrical substitutes to manage the temperature of the basement. Some basements are damp and therefore cause the vegetables to rot. To avoid it, most gardeners plant some fans in the basement to maintain the circulation of air and prevent dampness.

• Space Remodeling 

Maybe you want to completely change the appearance of one of your basements for this purpose and aren’t sure how to do it. Or, you simply want to change a few aspects and need help with the current trends. For instance, the remodeling might include lawful construction, drainage system Installed, necessary plumbing, solid stairway, etc. Consult with remodeling contractors to make sure you are making the right decisions, at the right time.

• The lights:

Basements are situated underground and therefore you cannot give them large windows, just the small ones, for the sake of ventilation. This makes it hard for the plants to receive enough light, which is a primary requirement for their growth and survival. To resolve this issue, gardeners plant artificial sources of light (outdoor lighting) to combat the deficiency of light. The sources of light are chosen based on the variety of plant and their requirements. Usually, red light is chosen for plants that produce fruits and flowers, while blue light is given to those that are leafy or vegetables.

• Choose the plants:

Buying the plants is one of the most exciting things and we know you’d want to get started with it immediately. However, a better sequence to follow would be to set up the basement and make it suitable for the plants, before you buy them. If you buy your plants before setting up the basement and moderating their environment, the setting up process might take too long and some of the plants may die. To save your plants from drying out, buy them after the basement has been set.

• Be a snow-white, choose dwarfs:

If you’re an amateur and do not hold much experience in gardening, it is suggested that you must go for the easier to grow options like leafy greens, lettuces, herbs, and radishes. Also, if given to choose, always choose the dwarf varieties of these Vegetables. The good part about them is that they do not take up much space and you will not have to worry to accommodate their grown-up versions in the basement. The dwarf varieties can also grow in cooler temperatures and the presence of limited light.

• Invest in indoor grow tents:

This could be an investment that could help you cut costs on the other expenditures. An indoor grow tent is a fiber box lined with a material that reflects heat and light to the plants. By using indoor grow tents, you will not have to spend much on providing the plants with water, nutrients, and light, since the tent manages the requirements. It allows you to grow the plants of your choice indoors, and throughout the year, without compromising on their quality. If grow tents seem a lot of trouble then you have alternatives such as grow lights which help in the growth and keeping the vitality of your plants!

Conclusion:

If you are a passionate gardener but do not have much space outside your house to curate the garden of your dreams, you can always go for a basement garden. A basement garden refers to people planting their plants and vegetables in the basement and maintaining them in it. To curate and manage a basement garden, you might need to focus on some points. Start with analyzing the environment of your basement and the temperature and take suitable measures according to it. Plant suitable light sources in the basement, as per the requirements. Invest in indoor grow tents. Once the basement is set, only then should you go to buy plants. Buy easier plants like lettuce, etc, and try buying their dwarf varieties.