Homegrown food is usually healthier and more nutritious compared to processed ingredients. As a matter of fact, it is highly recommendable to make use of your backyard space by converting it into a garden. There are various foods you can grow at home ranging from lettuce to carrots, kales, ginger, lemon, tomatoes and micro-greens among others. These foods can thrive all year round, but we are limited by harsh summer and winter seasons that make it impossible to garden.
Fortunately, you do not need a backyard or outdoor environment to grow your own food LED grow lights offer just the right amount of light needed to support plant life and you can contain soil in pots and bags. Growing your own food with grow lights is all about emulating the same outdoor conditions within an indoor setting. The main reason why plants are grown in outdoor gardens is sunlight and large-scale production. However, for your own food supply, you can use indoor grow lights that are just as good as sunlight.
You can review some of the best powerful 2000w LEDs to determine the ideal model for your indoor garden. You will also find factual descriptions of popular options in the market. Simply choose the right grow light and setup for your plant. Most importantly, ensure you determine the ideal soil, pH, water requirement, light requirement and fertilizer/compost. With this information, you can grow different types of vegetable all year round without worrying about the weather outside.
Some of the options you have include:
a) Lettuce greens – leaf lettuce or cutting lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow indoors. It does not require much space and (the leaves) can be harvested repeatedly before you need to plant new seeds. Simply place some moist potting soil in a plastic bag or pot with drainage holes. Sprinkle lettuce seeds and cover with 1/8 inch soil. Sprinkle some water to make the soil moist (not wet) and light up your glow light 8-10 hours a day. Thin the seedlings and wait to harvest your fresh strong lettuce.
b) Carrots – you can plant carrots indoors in deep pots (8 to 12 inches depending on the variety). The conventional method is to put your pots close to a sunny window, but this does not produce monstrous carrots. If you want the best yield, use powerful grow lights that are designed to provide sufficient light. Make sure the pots are moist (not wet). Once seedlings germinate, thin them to keep plants 2 inches apart and plant new seedlings every 2 weeks to maintain all-year supply of fresh carrots.
c) Arugulas – this is the ideal winter vegetable to plant indoors. They require moist environments and do not need a lot of sunlight. Simply sprinkle arugula seeds in a pot just like you do with lettuce and thin seedlings to maintain proper spacing. You can harvest large leaves, leaving the smaller ones to develop.
d) Kales – you can plant kale seeds in a large pot and then thin to one plant per pot especially since they become pretty large. Like arugulas, harvest only the larger leaves, leaving the smaller ones at the center. Keep your kale pots moist at all times.
There are several other varieties of vegetable and fruit you can grow using indoor grow LEDs. These include tomatoes, ginger, lemon and micro-greens and scallions among others. The growing requirements aren’t any different from those used in outdoor gardening. Simply ensure they get enough light from your LEDs. You can also place your plants near a sunny window to reduce energy bills. More importantly, research the ideal soil and watering requirements before growing any vegetables and fruits in your home. You can use pots, plastic bags, cans or buckets with drainage holes. Keep your grow light on for a minimum 6-8 hours to get the best yield.
