Herbs picked fresh from your garden add flavor that is far more zesty than the processed herbs you find on the shelves at the grocery store. You could grow your own by gathering together some pots, seeds, soil, fertilizer, grow lights and some way to keep them all in a compact space. The easier way, however, is to buy a complete indoor garden kit.
This guide will help you find the indoor garden kit that is right for you. It will show you what to look for when you’re shopping and even offer several recommendations at the end, including top pick, the Home Grown DIY Herb Garden Kit, which needs no transplanting and is ideal for first-time indoor gardeners.
What to know before you buy an indoor garden kit
If you have never grown anything before, the best choice for you is a starter kit. Good ones contain everything you need: pots, trays, soil and seeds. The pots included with many starter kits are quite small though, and you will likely need larger pots as your plants grow to maturity.
What do you want to grow?
Most indoor garden kits are for growing herbs, but some of them are large enough to grow salad greens, too, so the choice of what you grow and eat is up to you. Some kits are designed to grow non-edibles, too, such as succulents and small flowers.
Lighting an indoor garden
Lighting is one of three crucial elements needed to successfully grow plants indoors. If your indoor garden kit includes grow lights, you can put it anywhere. If you buy an indoor garden kit with no lighting, you will either need a very sunny spot or you must buy the right kind of artificial lighting. Very few plants will grow properly without sufficient light.
Watering an indoor garden
This is the second critical component of indoor gardening success. Too little water and your plants shrivel up and die. Too much water and they grow mold and rot. You can choose to water your indoor garden yourself or you can buy a kit that automates the process and does it for you. If you do it yourself, check out the size of the tank that comes with your kit. Larger tanks mean you need to refill your garden kit less often.
Feeding an indoor garden
Last but not least, plants need nutrients to thrive. Look for garden kits that include the kind and amount of fertilizer your plants need to grow their healthiest and lushest.
Seeds for an indoor garden
Most indoor garden kits come with seeds, but not all, so make sure you get the kit with the seeds you want. Those concerned with the environment will want to make sure seeds are non-GMO and free of any herbicides or pesticides.
Indoor garden kit features
How indoor garden kits get it done
Soil-based systems grow your plants in soil, just like in an outdoor garden.
Hydroponic systems use no soil. They grow plants in a solution of water and nutrients. This method uses less water than soil-based systems because water only goes where it is needed and there is no water-wasting runoff.
Aeroponic systems are an advanced type of hydroponics that spray nutrient-rich mists on the plants’ exposed roots rather than them living in the water.
Aquaponic systems grow plants in beds made of gravel, bits of clay or lava rocks. In this closed-loop system, fish live in a separate tank where their biological waste products are collected. Bacteria turn the waste into fertilizer that is absorbed by the plant roots. The fish feed the plants and the plants repay the favor by cleaning the water that goes back to the fish.
Indoor garden kit timers
The more timers and sensors you have, the less guesswork you need and the greater the chances of growing a successful garden. Helpful timers turn your lights on and off at the right time to ensure proper growing cycles. Sophisticated timers sense when your plants need to be watered and fed and do it for you without ever adding too much or too little.
Indoor garden kit cost
Small and simple indoor garden kits sell for $50 or less. Larger kits with more features cost $50-$100 or so. Top-of-the-line indoor smart gardens with all the bells and whistles cost upwards of $400.
Indoor garden kit FAQ
Where is the best place to put my indoor garden kit?
A. If your kit comes with grow lights, the best place to put it is in or near the kitchen. That way you’ll always be aware of how your plants are doing.
Can I grow anything in my indoor garden?
A. Within some basic limits, yes. Small indoor spaces are better suited for smaller versions of vegetables like baby carrots and cherry tomatoes. Also, don’t try to grow plants that need to be pollinated unless you plan for them to spend some time outside in a pollinator-rich micro-environment of plants like lavender and daisies.
Which indoor garden kit should I get?
Best of the best indoor garden kit
AeroGarden Harvest Kit: available at Amazon
Our take: Take all the guesswork out of growing with this versatile full-spectrum indoor garden kit.
What we like: This kit grows everything in nutrient-rich water, where plants grow to maturity more quickly than in soil and without the mess. Its six separate pods mean you can grow six different plant and herb varieties at once. The grow-light hood is ultra-thin and raises the 20 watts of white, red and blue LED lights to as much as 12 inches above the plant bed. The automatic timer turns the lights on and off at the precise times needed for growing. Simple backlight buttons remind you when to add water and the patented liquid plant-food that comes in the kit.
What we dislike: With technology like this, the only thing missing is an app.
Best bang for your buck indoor garden kit
iDOO Pods Indoor Herb Garden Kit: available at Amazon
Our take: This attractively designed kit controls and simulates sunlight, so you can use it anywhere.
What we like: This kit features two Smart Grow modes for vegetables and fruit and raises up to 12 plants each growing cycle. The quiet pump and fan turn on and off automatically. LED lights are high-performance and energy-efficient. This kit grows plants more quickly than ones that use soil.
What we dislike: No seeds are included.
Honorable mention indoor garden kit
HOME GROWN Deluxe DIY Herb Grow Kit: available at Amazon
Our take: This foolproof starter kit with attractive glazed ceramic pots needs no transplanting and is ideal for first-time indoor gardeners.
What we like: This kit includes long-blooming cilantro, basil, thyme and parsley. Zero transplanting means you can start and grow your seeds without having to repot. The bamboo drip trays catch spills and overflows. This kit includes peat moss, soil pellets and wooden plant markers. The Quick Start guide gives you easy step-by-step instructions. This indoor garden kit comes with a Happy Plant Parent guarantee because indoor gardening should be fun, too.
What we dislike: More technology would provide greater control over the growing cycle.
David Allan Van is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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