While I’ve lived for decades in northern NY, during COVID my daughters felt that I should not be alone, so I lived with my family in Connecticut for eight months. My children knew I couldn’t give up growing plants so they ordered me an Aerogarden, and my indoor gardening adventure began! My daughter-in-law loved it too and bought one for herself. Once I returned home, I ordered another one… That was the beginning of really being addicted. I have one at the entrance to my kitchen for lettuce and cherry tomatoes (pictured above). People come in and break off a piece of lettuce for a snack. I do that now, too. It grows enough for my salads all winter.
Aerogardens are essentially hydroponic gardens, and are simple to set up and use. They can be used to start seedlings for transplanting in grow boxes or outside. The pods to start seeds fit in small cavities and can be covered. Normally they are set up to get sixteen hours of light per day. They need liquid fertilizer every two weeks and tend to grow to transplanting size more quickly than conventional plantings. The light can be raised as the plants grow, so a few smaller plants can be left in the Aerogarden to mature.
I also use plastic planters as my main garden – I actually have nineteen of them! They provide all the vegetables and herbs that I need for fresh use and preserving. My GrowBoxes have a reservoir in the bottom to wick water up to the plants. Each box holds two to sixteen plants depending on plant size. With this system, mats are available for purchase with planting diagrams, fertilizer, and to serve as mulch.
I keep five GrowBoxes in my basement with grow lights, and one in my bedroom window. During the outdoor growing season, I have several areas where I use them. They should be placed in their seasonal location because they are heavy to move. The bottoms can be emptied for moving and are easily refilled when in place.
I also use canvas bags especially made for planting, as well as small indoor growing set-ups like this one, which I made from some basic materials available in local stores. I like showing people that anyone can garden on any scale!
For more information about container gardening, the Master Gardener Volunteers like this resource, which is one of many great garden resources on our Home Gardens and Grounds page.
As always, contact our Master Gardener Volunteers with any questions about container gardening or any other gardening topic at SLCgrowline@gmail.com.
Mary Robinson is a Master Gardener Volunteer, a Master Food Preserver, and a lifelong teacher. She believes growing our own food is a skill everyone should have, and which will become more and more important in the future.