Growing an Indoor Garden in Singapore

Growing plants can be one of the best things that you can do in your free time. You could learn a new skill, all the while making sure that your food is safe and healthy. Gardening is also a fun and practical hobby that anyone can learn, no matter the age.

Even if you live in an HDB flat without a lawn, you could always grow your own garden indoors. Indoor gardening isn’t as hard as it looks, all it takes is a bit of patience. Here are a few tips and tricks to start you off with growing your own indoor garden.

1. Figure out which plants are right for you.
Before doing anything else, you should make sure that you really can take care of your garden. If you’re a busy-body who never has time at home, don’t fret. There is always a plant for everyone, and chances are it wouldn’t be too hard to find a plant for you.

Those who would like to have plants that don’t need much attention, there are many plants that you could choose from. While succulents make the poster plants for plants that don’t need much attention, they can still be a bit hard to grow for complete beginners. Cacti are always a good choice since you would only need to water them at least once a week. Even if you forget to water them for weeks on end, they are hardy plants that could still thrive despite a lack of attention.

2. Use grocery produce to get more plants.
There are many plants that you could buy from the grocery which you could turn into more food. By just putting them in water, or in a bit of soil, you could use vegetable or fruit left-overs that you could use to grow even more food. There are many plants that you can propagate from grocery store produce, like lemongrass, ginger, and Thai basil.

3. Take note of starter plants.
There are many plants that are great for Singapore’s weather. For beginner gardeners, you can start with simple plants like brinjals, or lemongrass, or cherry tomatoes. For those who like to eat a lot of salads, good choices for leafy green plants are kangkong and kalian. Microgreens are always a good idea, like broccoli and sunflowers. Herbs, like mint and parsley, are always good choices but may require some more experience.

4. Light it right.
Remember to keep your plants away from direct sunlight during the middle of the day, since the Singaporean sunlight can be too harsh on plants. You could create a shade for your plants using some materials like cloth or blinders. If you have the opposite problem, and your space doesn’t have any natural light available, artificial lighting s always a good alternative. There are many sun lamps available on the market that can mimic the heat of the sun, which are great alternatives for natural lighting.