| Modern scientific techniques make it possible for | | | | These processes will be impeded in the absence |
| people to grow plants, vegetables and even fruit | | | | of fresh air. A continual supply of fresh air will help |
| right in their drawing room in indoor gardens. With | | | | your plants grow strong and healthy. |
| the some effort and knowledge you can now | | | | Propagation - Starting Stages |
| grow a variety of plants indoors, either with | | | | Provided you have got all support systems in |
| hydroponics, which is a soil less growing technique | | | | place, you can start off with seed, a cutting from |
| or by using suitable techniques for conventional | | | | an existing plant or a pre-started plant. If you plan |
| geoponics (growing in soil). Irrespective of the | | | | your garden keeping in mind the stage of the |
| method you choose, you can even make your | | | | plant life cycle you want to start with, you will be |
| indoor garden yield better results than a | | | | in a better position to take care of all the inputs |
| comparable conventional outdoor garden with less | | | | your plants will need at different times in its life |
| effort and in less time. | | | | cycle. |
| For successfully using indoor gardening techniques | | | | Cultivation - Hydroponics or Soil? |
| you need to understand five essential aspects of | | | | In hydroponics or soil-less gardening, the plant is |
| plant growth such as lighting, nutrition etc. These | | | | supplied nutrients mixed with water. With these |
| need to be considered and properly provided for | | | | nutrients the plant grows much faster resulting in |
| during the planning stage, if you want to ensure | | | | larger yields than in conventional gardening. Plants |
| adequate returns on the time and effort you put | | | | grown in soil need to be provided a container that |
| in. The five essentials are:o Lightingo Environmental | | | | is large enough to sustain growth. The rule of |
| Controlo Propagationo Cultivationo Nutrition | | | | thumb is to provide for the larger of the two |
| Lighting | | | | -one gallon of soil per foot of plant growth or one |
| In the majority of cases, while gardening | | | | gallon per month of growth. You may need to do |
| outdoors, you don't have to consider lighting | | | | a little research to decide which method will best |
| because the proper light balance and intensity for | | | | suit your preferences considering your budget, |
| healthy growth is taken care of by the natural | | | | the amount of time and effort you can devote |
| patterns of seasonal and diurnal changes. Your | | | | etc. |
| plants sense and respond to these changes and | | | | Nutrition |
| grow in accordance with the natural life cycle | | | | Providing the right nutrients at different stages of |
| progression. When growing indoors you need to | | | | the plant life-cycle is important. During the |
| properly design the lighting system to provide this | | | | vegetative phase, plants that put out heavy |
| vital input for accomplishing the same task. | | | | vegetation need larger amounts of nitrogen. On |
| Environmental Control - Air Circulation | | | | the other hand, during fruiting time they need a |
| If you want to grow healthy indoor plants you | | | | high phosphorous mix. An abundant supply of |
| can't afford to neglect air circulation. An adequate | | | | trace elements is vital for plant growth in indoor |
| supply of fresh air is vital for plant growth as | | | | gardening. Select trace elements rich nutrients to |
| important plant processes depend on exchange of | | | | meet the unique demands of plants grown in |
| gases between the leaves and the atmosphere. | | | | containers. |