Newbie Gardener Central-Indoor Gardening

Step 1: Pick your plants

Before you run to the garden center and fill your cart with far-flung tropical flora, here are our top picks for easy plants to grow indoors, along with what to consider before bringing them home.

Step 2: Pick your pot

Get to know some basic pot-picking principles so you can find the right indoor planters for all of your botanical buddies.

Step 3: Grow Houseplants

Whether you're looking to grow tropical plants, such as palms, ferns or African violets, or more low-maintenance succulents, learn the specific needs of houseplants and you can have healthy plants in your home year-round.

Step 4: Grow Herbs

Nothing beats fresh herbs to improve and enhance your cooking. With the right selection and conditions, it's possible to grow herbs right in your home, even in the dead of winter.

Step 5: Grow Vegetables Indoors

Growing an indoor vegetable garden can help keep your thumb green and your heart happy, even if your raised beds are covered in snow. Planting indoors does require some extra thought and patience—and an adventurous spirit—but it’s totally doable.

Step 6: Grow succulents

These cute companions require little water, and add unique beauty to your home and landscape. Here's how to care for and how to grow succulents.

Step 7: Troubleshooting plant problems

“What’s wrong with my plant?” Don’t panic. Many common ailments can be remedied. Learn how to diagnose plant problems, as well as how to treat them.

Step 8: Start seeds indoors

For any gardener, few projects are more rewarding than planting a seed and watching it grow. Learn the different seed starting techniques that will lead you to success.

Step 9: Harvest your indoor garden

Harvest like a pro. Whether your plants are growing in a hydroponic system like AeroGarden or in pots on a sunny windowsill, you can encourage them to keep on growing by knowing the right way to harvest.

Step 10: Repotting houseplants

You might be looking forward to repotting your plant because you got a snazzy new container, but there’s another reason to rethink your houseplant’s current home: It’s become rootbound. If your leafy friend is showing any of these signs, it’s time to repot it.

Step 11: Propagate houseplants

Propagation is the process of growing new plants from the roots, stems, or leaves of a mother plant—comes easy with a little know-how. Once you’ve got it down, it’s a plant-palooza!

Step 12: Propagate succulents

When you hardly have to lift a finger to care for them, why not double or triple your supply? Thankfully, propagating succulents is nearly as effortless as looking after them.

Step 13: Move indoor plants outside

Indoor plants need to be acclimated to warm weather. In the same way that a sunny spring break can leave you hot, tired, and possibly sunburned after months of hibernation, plants also face the risk of leaf scorch and shock if they go from indoors to out without proper planning.