Food You Can Grow Indoors in the Winter to Keep the Kids Entertained and Interested

Most of us think of gardening as a spring and summer activity. While it’s true that lots of gardening is best done at these times, that’s not to say that we can’t grow stuff in the winter. Indoor gardening is a real option for a lot of people.

Now, on the chilly winter days, the kids often yearn for something to do that feels outdoorsy and exciting. It seems the perfect time to get the indoor garden going and grow some healthy food.

So, maybe it’s time to grab plant pots, some potting mix, and a few seeds. It’s time to gather the kids around and introduce them to a new project. This winter, the family is going to cultivate some food inside during the winter. It’s going to be fun.

What You Need

Aside from plant pots, potting mixes, and seeds, the most important ingredient to the indoor winter garden is a sunny window. This will likely be on the south-facing side of the house (for those in the northern hemisphere). Most of these plants require a good 5-6 hours of sunlight.

The other important part of this experiment is that the plants will perform best in temperatures in the 60-to-80-degree range, which luckily, is about what most homes maintain. This temperature is comfortable for the majority of veggies.

And, of course, regularly watering is going to be important, and hopefully, that’s where the kids will come in. Within a couple of months, they’ll also be harvesting as well!

Which Plants to Grow

There are loads of things that can be grown this way. Just about everything we grow in gardens can work. However, the following list is of plants that are quick to produce and fairly easy to grow. With minimal care, they should provide some reliable results.

• Fresh herbs are always a welcome sight in the kitchen, but so much of wintertime cooking relies on dried herbs. So, growing some herbs inside is a great idea. Basil is an awesome choice to plant by seed. Parsley is another wonderful herb to grow from seed, though it does take up to three weeks to germinate. Lemon balm also does well in this situation.
• Leafy greens are incredibly nutritious, and they are also pretty accepting of being grown in pots. Plus, with so much warming soup going around in the winter, it isn’t horrible to have a fresh salad alongside it. Lettuce that grows loose leaves is perfect for an indoor winter garden, and there are loads of options to choose from. Arugula is a favorite for its spicy, nutty flavor and quick growth habits. Tatsoi is very spinach-like Asian green. It’s great fresh or sautéed.
• Root vegetables will need to be of the smaller varieties that tend to mature quickly, and they’ll need pots that are at least a foot deep. Carrots, at least varieties (Chantenay, Enterprise, Danvers, Musico, Nantes…) that are smaller and quicker, can be great fun to grow. Radishes come in lots of colors and shapes, most of which mature in a little over a month. Beets are another possibility, and they have tasted greens as well.
• Microgreens of all sorts can be grown in the wintertime, so really, it’s whatever seeds are around to try. That said, one of the most exciting microgreens to grow is from sunflowers. They are plump and delicious, and there is something fun to kids about eating sunflowers.

Plant When Ready

One of the best things about planting an indoor garden is that it can be done whenever you (and the kids) are ready to do it. Because the temperature indoors isn’t going to be a problem, as long as there is adequate sunlight, the plants should be happy to grow.

Related Content:

• Ideas for Getting Kids in the Garden
• Indoor Plants for Kids to Take Care of to Learn Responsibility
• 6 Ways to Make Gardening More Fun
• 5 Nature Crafts for Your Kids and You
• 8 DIY Projects for Your Garden and Yard Using Upcycled and Recycled Materials

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