You don’t have to have a backyard to start a garden. Many fruits and vegetables can successfully grow indoors. Growing your own food indoors is a fun way to enjoy delicious fruit all year round. All you need is a well-lit area, porch, or sunroom to get started.
Fruit plants will need a deep base for their roots. When the plants have outgrown the first pot or container, you can gently plant them in a bigger pot. Regular pruning is necessary to maintain the size of your plant. Each year, the topsoil should be replaced with fresh compost. Here is a list of some of the most popular fruits that can be grown indoors:
1. Strawberries
Strawberries can be grown indoors in pots near the windowsill. The berries can grow from early summer through late autumn. Strawberry plants will produce fruit quickly and need little space to thrive. You can start by taking a ripe strawberry and carefully picking out the seeds.
To ensure a successful plant, pick as many seeds as possible. Fill a pot or jar with soil and scatter the seeds into the container. Water gently only twice a week at the most. Keep the container in a warm place where it can absorb sunlight. It should just take a couple of days for the seeds to sprout.
2. Grapes
For grapes to grow indoors, they require proper ventilation to prevent mildew. Avoid dark colored pots or containers as they will make the grape roots too hot. The pot for planting grapes needs to be at least 15 gallons. Vines grow best in early autumn and require a layer of mulch. Use pebbles or Styrofoam to allow for drainage.
3. Figs
Figs grow best in a well-lit area away from direct sunlight, and in a large pot. Choose one that has holes at the bottom for drainage and uses two inches of soil. The fig plant should be watered at least once per week. When it reaches the height you prefer, you can prune the fig plant and shape it any way you like. Fig trees should be fertilized once per month throughout the year.
4. Papaya
This tropical fruit needs regular watering and plenty of sunlight to grow successfully. Papaya plants can grow up to 24 inches tall and need to be trimmed to fit its container. It makes an excellent patio plant and will grow quickly in the summer. Papaya plants require daily watering, rich potting soil, and fertilizer.
5. Watermelon
It may sound hard to believe, but watermelon can grow indoors. Any melon needs to grow in a sunny area or warm room to thrive. Watermelon’s need to be planted in at least a 5-gallon container with drainage holes. Place a watermelon seed deep into the soil and water well. It only takes about two and a half months for watermelon to appear.
6. Apricots
Apricots are simple to grow indoors in pots. Make sure they are placed in a sunny area of your home. One apricot pit can turn into a potted tree in your kitchen or patio. Remove the apricot seeds by cracking open the pit. Place the seeds in a container and keep in the fridge until they have sprouted. Once sprouted, plant the seeds into a pot of rich soil.
