You may think you need a big yard, balcony, or patio to enjoy the pleasure of homegrown plants and vegetables. Well, think again! Thanks to an indoor greenhouse, you can still grow plants, vegetables, and flowers within the confines of your home or even bedroom. We’ve selected the 5 best indoor greenhouses money can buy. Read on.
Why an indoor greenhouse?
Indoor greenhouses offer you loads of benefits and you’ll find there’s a suitable option for everyone. Whether you’re going for a miniature greenhouse to start growing herbs in your apartment or you want a full-blown model to grow vegetables and flowers, we’ll help you find exactly what you need!
The benefits of an indoor greenhouse:
- It’s easy to move. When you’re planning on moving out of your house or apartment in the next few months or even years, your hard work will be protected as it’s easy to move an indoor greenhouse to your new place.
- You don’t need a yard, balcony or patio to enjoy fresh homegrown vegetables. Maybe you do have outside space but the climate in your region is not ideal for growing plants or the amount of sunshine in your yard is too low to benefit from a greenhouse. Enter the indoor greenhouse…
- Your crops are well protected. When you buy an indoor greenhouse, your herbs and veggies won’t suffer from outside elements, such as rain, wind, and snow.
- It’s easier to monitor the temperature and conditions in your greenhouse when it’s so close to you.
Where should you place your indoor greenhouse?
Ideally, your greenhouse is placed in a sunny spot, so your plants can benefit from direct sunlight. If that’s not an option for you, you can add lighting to your greenhouse. Take into account though that natural light is always better for plants to grow than artificial light, so ideally you will at least go for a combination of both and won’t completely rely on the added lighting.
Which crops should you plant indoor?
This strongly depends on how much room you have in your indoor greenhouse. If you only have a mini greenhouse, you should probably start with growing some beautiful fresh herbs to spice up your food. If you have a big greenhouse, you can even grow a lemon tree. We’ll give you some examples of herbs, vegetables, and fruits that will grow indoors!
Herbs and spices:
- Basil
- Parsley
- Mint (be careful as this plant tends to grow quickly and might smother your other plants)
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Chives
Lots of vegetables are suited for indoor growing:
- Carrots
- Hot peppers
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Radishes
- Cucumber
- Avocado
What about some homegrown fruit?
Try growing these fruits inside:
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Lemons
Other tips to enjoy your indoor greenhouse to the fullest
As your plants won’t benefit from natural soil, it’s important to make sure that the soil you use has plenty of nutrients. Especially when your plants have just started growing it’s a good idea to use extra fertilizer about once a month.
The temperature in your greenhouse should be around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The easiest way to make sure the temperature doesn’t get too high is by placing a thermometer inside your greenhouse. When the temperature gets too high you can either move your greenhouse away from the sun for a little while or open up the top or sides to let some air in.
Make sure you water your plants sufficiently, as plants need both sun and water to grow. Depending on which crop you are growing, check how much water it needs and pay attention to how dry the soil is. During summer your plants might need more water when your house is warmer, so check the greenhouse temperature to give your plants the best chance of survival!
Best mini indoor greenhouses
Our recommendation:
Ikea Greenhouse, Indoor/outdoor, White
This Ikea greenhouse is an easy to assemble and budget-friendly option for smaller plants. The polycarbonate panels provides indoor protection against pets. The roof vents can be placed in a halfway open position to allow air to circulate and the temperature to cool. Not the best design to keep in humidity, but the greenhouse maintains a decent amount of heat for the plants.
👍 Advantages
- Budget friendly
- Great for indoor gardening
- Easy to assemble (10 min)
- Perfect protection against pets
- Cute design
👎 Disadvantages
- Not waterproof, needs protection if you want to use it outside
- Not easy to move
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Best indoor greenhouses
Our recommendation:
Home-Complete HC-4202 Walk-In Greenhouse
This greenhouse is the ideal option for inside or outside if you are on a budget or you need to save some space. The eight sturdy shelves still provide enough room for plants. The greenhouse is very easy to assemble and ropes and anchors are included for stability. The clear PVC cover helps to protect seedlings from frost or pests. It should be noted that this greenhouse is not suitable for high wind areas. Note that this design does not come with a bottom tray.
👍 Advantages
- 8 sturdy shelves provide a lot of room for plants
- Possible to use both inside or outside
- Clear PVC cover helps protect seedlings from frost or pests
- Easy to assemble (45min)
- Rope and anchors are included for stability
- Strong frame
- Very budget-friendly
- Keeps temperature steady
👎 Disadvantages
- No bottom tray included
- Not suitable for high wind areas
- Shelves are not the best material
Our recommendation:
Worth Garden 50% Extra Wide Mini Greenhouses
This mini greenhouse is the perfect greenhouse for inside or patio gardening. It is budget-friendly, easy to assemble, portable and extra wide to provide enough room on the shelves. The vinyl cover that is included keeps the temperature steady. Note that this design does not come with a bottom tray.
👍 Advantages
- Easy to assemble
- Portable
- Extra wide
- Nice vinyl cover that keeps temperature steady
- Budget friendly
👎 Disadvantages
- No bottom tray
- Not sturdy enough to use outside/patio
- Flimsy shelves
