Written by Marie Iannotti
The onset of winter does not need to be the end of growing and harvesting your vegetables. People who do not have outdoor space grow vegetables indoors all the time. It does have its challenges, and you may not yield as much, but it is possible. Take a look at some of the easier vegetables you can grow indoors.
Carrots
Carrots are ridiculously accommodating. Growing them in containers is not just a great option for indoor growing; it also solves the problem of trying to grow them in heavy, rocky soil. Smaller carrots are easiest to grow inside. They need less space and mature quickly. A long container, such as a window box, is ideal. Lightly cover the seeds with some damp peat moss, so the seeds don’t dry out. Do not let a hard crust form over them; this prevents germination. Keep the soil moist, and seeds should germinate within two weeks. Days to maturity will depend on the variety you are growing.
Garlic Greens
If you have ever left a garlic bulb alone for a few weeks or you have put garlic it in the fridge, you might notice a garlic clove sprouting a little green foot from one of its ends. Instead of tossing it out, you can plant that sprouting garlic clove about 1-inch deep in a 4-inch container and water it. Within weeks, you will have garlic greens.
Start harvesting when they grow to 8 to 10 inches long. Cut off what you need and leave the rest. You generally only get one flush of growth from each clove. They may sprout again, but the quality declines, so start new cloves when you begin harvesting the current crop. These garlic tops taste a lot like garlicky scallions. Don’t plan to yield a bulb of garlic. You would need a particular temperature to start forming bulbs, and that won’t happen indoors. But, garlic greens are an excellent substitute.