Nurture your spirit with an indoor garden

Winter can be challenging for many of us, with shorter days and colder weather limiting our time outdoors. This can negatively impact our mental health and overall wellbeing. But indoor gardening is one way to nurture your spirit during the winter months.

Indoor gardening allows you to bring the beauty of nature into your home and provides you with a sense of peace and tranquillity. It also has numerous benefits for your mental and physical health. Here are five tips to help you create an indoor garden that will nurture your spirit this winter.

Hopefully, these tips will inspire you to create your own indoor garden and bring some greenery into your home this winter. Remember, taking care of plants can also be a form of self-care and nurturing for yourself during the colder months. So get creative, have fun, and watch your spirit bloom along with your indoor garden. 

Tip 1: DIY grow light setup

Using grow lights can be crucial for supplementing natural light during the shorter winter days. It’s actually quite easy to create an affordable DIY grow light setup. You will need some LED bulbs, light fixtures, timers and mounting tools. Attach the LED bulbs to fixtures and mount them above your plants. Ensure even light distribution by positioning the lights 6-12 inches above the plants.

Tip 2: Upcycle containers for planters

Upcycling household items into unique planters is not only eco-friendly but also adds a personal touch to your home decor.  You can do this with jars, tins, and bottles, all of which can be transformed into beautiful planters:

• Clean the containers thoroughly and drill drainage holes at the bottom.
• Paint or decorate the containers to match your home decor.
• Add soil and your choice of plants. 

This creative approach helps reduce waste while giving new life to everyday items.

Tip 2: Homemade humidity solutions

Maintaining humidity levels for indoor plants during winter is essential. Low humidity can cause stress to plants, reducing their vitality. You can easily create homemade humidity solutions using:

• Pebble trays: Place pebbles in a tray and fill it with water; place your plants on top.
• Grouping plants: Group plants together to create a micro-environment with higher humidity.
• DIY humidity domes: Use plastic containers to create humidity domes over your plants.

Regularly monitor humidity levels with a hygrometer and adjust as needed to keep your plants happy and healthy.

Tip 4: Natural pest control

Indoor plants can attract pests, but natural pest control methods are effective and safe for your home environment. Common pests include aphids and spider mites. Regularly inspect your plants and act swiftly to prevent infestations from spreading.

Here’s how to manage them:

• Neem oil: Mix neem oil with water and spray on affected plants.
• Soap sprays: A mild soap solution can help eliminate pests without harming the plants.
• Beneficial insects: Introducing ladybugs can naturally control pest populations.

Tip 5: Indoor composting methods

Creating and maintaining an indoor composting system provides nutrient-rich soil for your plants. Indoor composting can be done using kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells:

• Worm bins: Set up a worm bin in a container filled with bedding material and worms to break down organic waste.
• Bokashi bins: Use bokashi bins to ferment kitchen scraps, which can then be added to your compost pile.

Proper odour management and following best practices ensure a successful indoor composting experience.