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Growing Vegetables Indoors: How to become hardcore in the gardening world Have you ever tried growing vegetables indoors? We don’t mean a lone basil plant or a mock orange tree or even starting your seeds indoors (check out #300Clifton for some serious seed starting). Have you ever considered finding a location in your home (basement, living room) or garage to build out a vegetable growing haven? If so, then you are like our friend Kevin Espiritu (#EPICGardening) and a very committed gardener. If you do choose to go down this pathway, an Eco Garden Systems’ Original Garden may be the perfect garden. With a few simple additions, a little bit more time and an understanding of how growing indoors differs from the great outdoors you can become the envy of your neighbors – or at the very least the interesting neighbor who can’t stop ranting about how great fresh vegetables are and how annoying indoor pests can become. So, how do you get started growing vegetables indoors? Here are a few things you might consider. Make sure your garden is self-contained – indoor water leakage can be a bit troubling so make sure you have a leak-free garden (shameless plug – an Eco Garden is the perfect answer). Get the right grow lights – this can be the difference between disappointment and elation. When it comes to growing vegetables indoors, folks often start out with inexpensive (like we did this past year) and end up wishing they had forked over the cash to get the proper lights. We have found two that we like: Yehsence 1500w LED Light with Bloom and Veg switch (Veg for emerging and bloom for when the flowers begin – use both when in full production). This is the light that Concordia University used for their…

As we move towards Fall here in Minnesota, we see a lot of activities that drop off dramatically after Labor Day. From golf to lake and cabin visits to outdoor restaurant seating, as the weather cools, folks tend to move on to other activities. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a trend in vegetable gardening as well. You’re not alone if you too are wondering how to extend your growing season.

As Winter approaches, we have been seeing a lot of information on how to best leave your soil over the Winter – by planting ground cover plants or heavily mulching your space. We see merits on both sides and have a preference for our own gardens (more on that at the end) so let’s explore the benefits!

We have shared before some things you can do at home to re-use things around the house to “hack” your gardening experience and implement sustainable gardening methods. Now, we want to share some ideas on how to make a season’s worth of fertilizer over the Winter months and into Spring. We will also share any cautions we have experienced or come across. All of these are easy – but they require a bit of thought as well.

Gardening is a rewarding hobby that many find to be a peaceful, solitary effort. But if you’re a beginner, or don’t have the space, you may want to consider community gardening. In Minneapolis alone, there are over 300 community gardens. And if you are interested in gardening but don’t know how to start, growing food as a group will shorten your learning curve—there will likely be experienced growers in the mix. It’s a wonderful way to connect with people who share your passions and interests.

Did you know that 30-40% of 5th and 6th graders do not know where food comes from? What better way to introduce the subject than to start a school vegetable garden! Fast food and processed meals have replaced gardening and cooking in many homes in the U.S. One of the best ways to bring back a real understanding of healthy food and how it grows is by introducing gardening into the school curriculum. Why start a school vegetable garden? Kids will be more active: Getting outside and putting their hands in the soil will enhance mood, leading to more attentive students in the classroom. Plus, being more physically active improves health overall. Students will eat healthier: They will be growing their own food, which leads to higher consumption of vegetables and fruit. There’s nothing better than a locally grown tomato! Learning how food grows can lead to longer term healthy eating habits. It teaches students new skills: By learning how food is grown, students may want to explore future careers in agriculture and horticulture. How can an Eco Garden help you start a garden at school? We have partnered with several school districts to get more gardening programs in front of kids. An Eco Garden Systems’ Original Garden works well with schools. This is because the water reservoir, air gap, and soil platform create a perfect growing environment. In ~60 days, kids can have fresh produce ready to eat. In a school environment, there are summer breaks, holidays, and a set schedule. But the the Eco Garden will keep on performing even when someone isn’t around 24/7. In fact, Concordia University in St. Paul developed a white paper that proved the quicker speed-to-maturity of our gardens. Here’s what they had to say about their findings: “The bed is user friendly,…

Yes, we know you’re still enjoying the harvest from this year’s garden, and waiting patiently for fall vegetables to crop up. But soon you will have to put the garden to bed (at least in the cold parts of the country). There is plenty to do before that, though. The soil in your raised garden bed is teeming with life and can be used again next year. Here are some tips to prepare garden soil for winter and keep it healthy, and ready to take on the spring growing season!

Are you enjoying your summer vegetable garden harvest as much as we are? All that hard work is paying off. And that bounty doesn’t have to end with the warm weather garden because fall is the perfect time to plant more veggies. Here are 12 cool weather vegetables that grow well in a raised garden bed like an Eco Garden.

In the Vegetable Garden with Jessica // Somehow summer is almost at an end – the cool August weather makes it feel like fall already. A few weeks ago, I planted more seeds in my raised vegetable garden in hopes of a fall harvest. Doing this made me reflect on how the garden did in my second year as a gardener. See what I learned…

Composting can seem intimidating, especially if you are a beginner gardener. And what if you live in the city? You’re likely looking for composting tips, and probably have some questions percolating as well. What makes people hesitant to get started composting?