Edible Indoor Plants – Best Edibles To Grow Inside

Which are the best vegetables to grow indoors? Growing garden vegetables as edible houseplants is not only an ideal solution for those who lack outdoor gardening space, but it can also provide any family with fresh homegrown produce year-round. If this sounds intriguing, let's look at the most productive and easiest edibles to grow inside the house.

Easy-To-Grow Edible Indoor Plants

By far, leafy greens are one of the easiest indoor edibles to grow. These fast growing and shallow-rooted veggies require a minimum of four to six hours of direct sunlight and can often be grown in a southern-facing window in the dead of winter. Most leafy greens can be planted 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm.) apart in 4 inch (10 cm.) tall containers. Here are some excellent leafy edibles to grow inside the house:

• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Kale
• Microgreens
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Swiss chard

Herbs are another one of the edible houseplants which are prolific and easy to grow in a sunny window. Many herbs have attractive foliage and impart a lovely aroma to the room.

A 4 inch (10 cm.) pot will suffice for smaller, leafy herbs. Woody plants, like rosemary, require a larger and deeper planter. Try growing these favorite culinary herbs as fresh indoor edibles:

• Basil
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Mint
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Thyme

Root Vegetables to Grow Indoors

Root vegetables are another option for easy vegetables to grow indoors. Depending upon the variety, root vegetables generally need a deeper container and may take longer to mature than many leafy greens. Here are popular choices of root vegetables to grow inside the house:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Radishes

Cruciferous Indoor Edibles

If you have a cooler room with a sunny window, members of the cabbage family can be ideal vegetables to grow indoors. While not difficult to cultivate, days to maturity can range between three and six months.

Production may also be limited to one head of cabbage or one primary broccoli or cauliflower head per pot. Consider these cruciferous culinary favorites:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Kohlrabi

Difficult Edibles to Grow Inside

Fruiting and vining plants are the among the most difficult to grow as edible houseplants. Many of these vegetables require eight to ten hours of sunlight to produce blossoms and fruit. Supplying artificial light is usually required, especially for winter cultivation. Additionally, even self-fertilizing species may need help with pollination.

For the best chance of success, stick with compact varieties or greenhouse cultivars. These varieties grow well in containers and can be quite productive. Use a large planter and limit plants to one per pot. If you're willing to take on the challenge, try growing these fruiting and vining edible indoor plants:

• Beans
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Tomatoes