Indoor Herb Garden System with Artificial Light
Setting up a small indoor herb garden is one of the easiest ways to get started with indoor gardening. And, with a proper grow light system, you will be able to grow herbs like parsley, thyme, basil and chives indoors all year round, even in winter when it's freezing outside and natural sunlight is weak. Herbs are also among the easiest plants to grow hydroponically indoors, which makes indoor gardening attractive even for the folks who tend to stay away from gardening because of the mess involved.
If you're not familiar with the term, hydroponics simply means growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil. One of the most important benefits of growing plants hydroponically, as opposed to soil, is there won't be persistent weeds, soil-loving bugs or soil-borne plant diseases. What's more, plants tend to grow faster in hydroponic environments because all the nutrients they need are right there in the water, so the plants don't have to "waste" energy developing extensive root systems to find nutrition. And, as the plants' roots don't need much space, you get to pack the plants closer together. While that might not make a big difference if you plan to grow very small plants such as herbs, it might result in great space savings if you're thinking about, say, setting up an indoor cherry tomato garden.
Below, we take a look at an all-in-one hydroponic herb growing kit that comes with almost everything you need to get started herbs indoors, including an artificial light designed to simulate sunlight. For those who prefer a soil-based system, we've also included information about compact grow light canopies that are ideal for growing small plants like herbs and microgreens. Please note that this article contains affiliate links, which means that if you buy a product through those links, the author of this article may receive a small commission, without any extra cost on your part.
Hydroponic Indoor Herb Growing Kit with Grow Light
AeroGarden is one of the most famous manufacturers of compact herb and vegetable gardens designed for indoor use at home or in other places where space is at a premium. Their bigger and more expensive Miracle-Gro kits make great indoor cherry tomato gardens, but if you're looking to grow smaller plants, such as herbs and lettuce, you might want to get one of the smaller models, such as the popular AeroGarden Miracle-Gro 7. This model can accommodate up to seven herbs or other small plants of your choice, and it comes with a powerful artificial light designed to boost plant growth. The height of the growing area can be extended to up to 12 inches (30 centimetres), so you should be able to grow most herbs without having to fear that the top leaves will touch the artificial light. What's more, this indoor herb garden – and in fact all the other Miracle-Gro models – use hydroponic technology, an eco-friendly technique that uses nutrient-rich water, rather than soil, to grow plants. Herbs like basil, mint, cilantro, Italian flat-leafed parsley, sage, baby dill and oregano are particularly easy to grow hydroponically, but you can also grow strawberries, salad greens, peppers and many other vegetables using this soil-free gardening method. To learn more about AeroGarden Miracle-Gro 7, or to order one of these ingenious contraptions through Amazon, check out the following links:
Adjustable Grow Light System for Soil-Based Indoor Herb Gardens
Prefer a soil-based solution over a hydroponic system? You might want to consider getting one of the compact grow light canopies designed for year round use on a kitchen counter-top or side table. The canopy height can be adjusted, which is great if you want to start your herbs from seed or grow smaller plants such as microgreens (simply lower the canopy for seedlings, and adjust the height as the plants grow). This indoor herb garden comes with highly-efficient fluorescent bulbs that provide artificial, plant-growth stimulating full-spectrum light. Available in attractive black finish, it is easy to assemble and perfect for growing small amounts of microgreens or herbs like parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, sage and chives indoors all year round, even in winter when natural sun light is in short supply in the UK and most parts of North America. To read reviews submitted by Amazon users who have already bought one of these artificial light systems for their indoor herb gardens, or to order one of these systems right away, select one of the links below:
