Have you decided to embark on the adventure and grow your fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs from your home? Nice initiative! URBAN CUISINE supports you and shares with you tips and tricks for a successful indoor vegetable garden!
How to make an indoor vegetable garden?
Who hasn't dreamed of having organic fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs, even edible flowers, of quality and in large quantities from home? Yet it is simple and accessible thanks to the indoor vegetable garden.
There are obviously a multitude of possibilities to create and succeed in your indoor vegetable garden . First of all, there is the question of the support for your Clods . Thus, to plant from home, you can choose the traditional clay pots, or opt for terracotta pots, these two options offer the advantage of being more resistant than plastic pots. In any case, it is important that the pot has a hole in the bottom to allow good drainage and guarantee the good health of the roots.
The question of the content is nevertheless inseparable from that of the container. It will then be necessary to choose the best pot according to what you want to plant there. The plastic pot is too light to plant trees in, and will not withstand harsh weather such as strong winds. The geotextile pot is, for its part, particularly suitable for growing aromatic herbs, fruits and vegetables and organic flowers because it allows good root development in that it is very airy.
Nevertheless, the space and the budget available vary for each person and are also factors to take into account in the creation of your indoor vegetable garden, so everyone is free to choose the solution that seems best to them. of his situation.
After having selected the appropriate container, it is now necessary to consider the question of the content. The choice of soil is of primary importance to allow you to grow easily. Each plant has its own needs, so the soil is adapted to meet them.
However, keep in mind that a good soil is light , it must allow the roots of the plant to anchor while allowing it to find the necessary air. It must offer good water retention and at the same time allow it to drain so that the roots do not rot. The ideal pH for your soil is between 5.5 and 6.6. Similarly, it should contain nutrients, at least during the first months of its use. All these conditions together guarantee a quality soil.
You can naturally orient yourself towards a so-called “universal” soil , it is moreover the preferred soil for indoor cultivation since around 90% of the plants in our indoor vegetable gardens benefit from it.
The tools needed for your indoor vegetable garden are obviously not the same as those used for the garden or outdoor cultivation. However, the use of three tools will be of great help to you. The trowel , which allows you to dig and manipulate the earth . The pruner for cutting small branches . The last tool is the rake which will allow you to scrape the surface of the earth to penetrate the fertilizer or the compost. This toolkit provides a necessary foundation to help grow your seeds .Where is the best place for a successful indoor vegetable garden?
Are you wondering which place in your apartment would be the most suitable for placing your vegetable garden ? Rest assured, there are many solutions available to you.
How to make a vegetable garden on your balcony?
The first place you think of to set up your vegetable garden is surely the balcony . You are right, this option will give your plants good exposure to the sun and a place of choice to grow quality organic fruits, vegetables and aromatic plants. You will be able to reap everything you sow, without forgetting to water, and this, without cluttering up your interior space.
How to make a vegetable garden on your terrace?
Are you lucky enough to have a terrace ? So you might as well use this space as it should to develop your plantation! Thanks to the space offered by the terrace, you can multiply the varieties to plant and group together those with the same water and sun needs to make your work easier. Likewise, you can separate them from more invasive varieties that require more space and special care. If your accommodation is also well oriented, your plants will receive all the sun they need and will offer you a terraced vegetable garden rich in crops!
How to make a vegetable garden in your kitchen?
We may think less about it, but the vegetable garden in the kitchen is still an interesting place to grow plants and aromatic herbs . Indeed, the kitchen is often a bright and fairly well heated room, rather humid and one of the least furnished and therefore not very cluttered. All of this will make it easier to grow anything you can plant there!
How to make a vegetable garden in height?
Which aromatic plants to favor for your vegetable garden?
Aromatic plants can bring flavor to dishes and even to the simplest recipes. They grow, for the most part, very well indoors, as they only need a little space. Their development obviously requires water and light but these plants actually require little maintenance and are therefore ideal for complete beginners or those who do not have much time.
There is a very large choice of organic herbs that you can have in your vegetable garden. Take for example:
- dill
- basil
- cultivated coriander
- tarragon
- bay leaf sauce
- rosemary
- Sage
- savory
- thyme
URBAN CUISINE specifically suggests four varieties: Green Mint , Flat Parsley , Great Green Basil and Common Chives . These four varieties have the specificity of growing quickly, in a few weeks or only a few months, and of being easy to maintain!
You can also find all our maintenance tips and all our best recipes on our site. The recipe possibilities are indeed numerous and these herbs will bring taste and freshness to all your dishes, all year round!What are the aromatic plants to grow together?
Aromatic plants each have their specificities and do not have the same requirements in terms of maintenance, soil and watering . We therefore guide you in order to make the best possible associations to discover which aromatic plants to plant together .
We recommend you :
- In the sun in well-drained soil that dries easily, sow or plant thyme , rosemary and savory.
- In the sun in soil that remains cool, sow or plant chives , coriander and tarragon.
- In partial shade in soil that remains cool, sow or plant chervil, parsley , tarragon and perennial celery.
Thyme , rosemary , sage and all Mediterranean herbs need full sun exposure and perfectly drained soil , including dry and poor soil. While basil, chives and tarragon also appreciate the sun (they support partial shade, however), but require cooler soil . Parsley and chervil are grown in partial shade in cool soil ; mint also, but it is more accommodating and supports all types of exposure.
Remember that some plants must absolutely remain isolated:
- Mint because this plant invades everything and moreover, if it is left to flower, it reseeds itself everywhere .
- Sage which secretes substances into the soil and therefore prevents the development of other aromatic plants.
- Basil because it needs a specific substrate, its roots must remain moist and the leaves in the sun. However, basil can be planted with plants such as tomatoes.
What vegetables to plant in your indoor vegetable garden?
You didn't know that until then? And yet! Growing vegetables indoors is possible .
Mini vegetables are actually very easy to grow indoors and in limited space. They require little attention and are therefore very easy to grow and will therefore be ideal in your plantation!
It is, for example, entirely possible for you to grow Mini Peppers or Mini Peppers in your plantation, which will add flavor and color to your dishes.
You can just as easily orient yourself towards the lettuce to cut , which has the particularity of growing very quickly. You will therefore often have to eat them and you will be able to enjoy light and succulent meals.
But the possibilities are numerous, you can very well plant:
- mini turnips
- radishes
- eggplant
- baby carrots
- spinach
- zucchinis
- green cabbage
- cauliflower
- kale,
- chard!
Proof of this is that vegetables will easily find their place in your interior and will offer you good harvests after only a few weeks depending on the variety!
Indoor vegetable garden maintenance
Each variety has specific needs that it is important to know well. For them to benefit from the best conditions, it is however important that each of the clods of your indoor garden receive light for at least 5 hours a day. It is not necessarily that of the sun, but plants still need light to grow. However, too much sun could dry out your vegetable garden, as full sun is not always ideal. Thus, having a balcony or a terrace makes it possible to multiply the possibilities.
Similarly, it is important not to neglect watering to ensure that your aromatic herbs, fruits and organic vegetable plants have the water they need to grow.
Finally, too much exposure to the wind is to be avoided. It is important that your vegetable garden is well protected from the various bad weather which could constitute an obstacle to the cultivation of your various organic fruits, vegetables, flowers and aromatic herbs that you plant.
When to plant herbs and vegetables?
Each variety grows in its own way. It is therefore important to know the particularities of each one. Clods require a certain amount of water , light and heat. For example, you should remember that a minimum temperature of 15 degrees is necessary for varieties such as Cherry Tomato , Mini Peppers or even Grand Vert Basil . However, do not panic since you can find, for all the varieties that we offer the clods, our maintenance advice on our site.
Don't get me wrong, a season like winter doesn't mean a downtime for developing the contents of your pots. Indeed, if they are sown for the most part at the beginning of summer, the fruits and vegetables that you can harvest in winter are nonetheless numerous. In December and with the arrival of winter you can then harvest all kinds of cabbage: cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, white or green cabbage...
On the fruit side, you can very generously appreciate apples, oranges or pears .
This is only a preview because the possibilities are very numerous. To take advantage of seasonal produce, it is important to plant and harvest varieties at the right time . We therefore advise you to keep a schedule of your plantings and harvests.
To find out more about this, we invite you to consult our Seasons Calendar !
When to pick your aromatic herbs?
Aromatic herbs are to be picked at a specific time , when they have reached a good level of development. The morning is the ideal time of day for this operation, since it is not yet too hot and your crops are not likely to be damaged.
Harvesting an aromatic herb depends on its type and various criteria. For annual herbs such as dill, basil , chervil and parsley , being sown every year, they are harvested within the year.As for perennials , such as chives, tarragon, mint , rosemary, sage or thyme , they are harvested when the plant is sufficiently resistant to picking. This resistance is generally acquired after several weeks, and even several months of cultivation.
For your plants to give you good harvests, it is also important to prune them regularly. This will allow you to encourage the production of new branches and thus ensure the productivity of your plantation for many more weeks. For this operation, two of the tools from the kit already mentioned above will be useful: the trowel and the pruning shears.
How to store aromatic herbs?
You have just cut your herbs and you are now wondering how to store your aromatic herbs ? You have two storage options: drying and freezing.
The drying technique allows you to keep the scent of your herbs fresh .
To carry out this method of conservation, you will have to make sure that your stems are very dry first, for this you can let them dry in the open air on a clean cloth for 3 hours if they are not or dry gently, so as not to damage the leaves. The stems you have taken must then be grouped together and then wrapped with a rubber band. Then place them in a dark place. The elastic will tighten when the uppers are dry. This solution will allow you to keep your herbs for a few months or even a year .
The second solution available to you is freezing your herbs . This method keeps your aromatic herbs longer than drying. In particular to preserve parsley or chervil, it is important to freeze them immediately after picking to keep all the flavors of the herbs. Tall grasses also keep better when frozen. This method is particularly suitable for storing Coriander and Dill. Herbs can be kept whole or chopped into small pieces with a knife. The stalks of curly parsley can for example be put whole in the freezer bag because the parsley chisels itself with the cold. Then start by cutting the stems and pass the herbs in clear water. For varieties that have more fragile leaves, remember not to pour the water directly on the leaves and use your hands to soften the rinse. Then dry them on a clean cloth for 3 hours or dry them directly with the cloth, being careful not to crease the leaves. It is best to cut the herbs with a knife and not with a blender to prevent the herbs from disgorging with water. Remember to write the name of the variety of grass and the date of harvest on the freezer bag with indelible marker before closing the bag and putting it in the freezer. You should know that basil darkens when frozen, to avoid this you can transform it into pesto or chop it to put it in an ice cube tray and then cover it with oil before freezing it.
How to choose your connected vegetable garden?
Would you like to acquire a vegetable garden that will allow you to plant quality organic fruits, vegetables, flowers and aromatic herbs even without a garden, effortlessly and all year round? We understand you and guide you to make the best choice among vegetable gardens. To make it easier for you to grow organic fruits, vegetables, flowers and aromatic herbs in your vegetable garden, you can choose a connected vegetable garden.
The culture in an apartment is, indeed, not always obvious. Lack of space, lack of time, lack of lighting… To overcome all these shortcomings, there are nevertheless connected vegetable gardens . The connected vegetable garden, also called smart garden, or Smart Garden in English, allows you to grow fruits, vegetables and organic aromatic herbs thanks to a system that includes artificial lighting. This artificial lighting makes it possible to reproduce the sunshine enjoyed by what is planted in a garden, for example. In addition to providing the lighting necessary for your planting, the connected vegetable garden also protects your pots from the weather outside.
URBAN CUISINE, supported by the desire to democratize urban agriculture and make gardening as accessible as possible, has developed an optimized vegetable garden for you, a cutting-edge product in terms of smart vegetable gardens and made in France , which is in addition customizable!
Our Connected Indoor Vegetable Garden, produced and manufactured in France, will allow you to grow twenty plants of your choice all year round and simultaneously.
If you don't have a lot of time to devote to your plants, don't worry, the vegetable garden is optimized. All settings such as temperature, humidity are automated thanks to a system integrated into the vegetable garden to guarantee the growth of all your plants!
Our Connected Indoor Vegetable Garden offers the advantage of being extremely simple to install and use . Just plug it into an electrical outlet upon receipt, fill the water tank and install your Cultivation Clods. URBAN CUISINE has even developed an algorithm for you that will advise you on the placement of your clods in order to ensure that you benefit from the best possible harvests!
The harvests will be of high quality with our Connected Vegetable Garden, but also very quickly. Be aware that the first shoots will appear after only one week and the harvest can be carried out as early as two weeks depending on the varieties grown.
Finally, the URBAN CUISINE Connected Vegetable Garden offers the advantage of being entirely made in France from French wood from sustainably managed forests.
Sober and ergonomic, with a refined style, our product will fit perfectly into the decoration of your apartment and will delight your interior!
