Eating fresh and nutritious produce has become easier with the rise of creative ways of growing plants inside your home. Here are a few ways to incorporate living food into your kitchen.

Countertop Herb Garden

Start with a medium-sized pot, organic potting soil, and 2-3 herb plants that you cook with frequently. Most herbs don’t grow into large shrubs and are able to grow next to one another.

Pot the herbs about 2-3 inches apart and place the pot in a south-facing window if possible, which gets bright but is not under direct sun for most of the day. If there is not enough light, you can purchase an inexpensive plant-growing light to help. Once ready, herbs can be picked fresh and added to soups, stews, and sauces, or dried and saved for later. 

This indoor setup is perfect for year-round growing; however, you can also move your pot outside during the warmer summer months. 

Veggie Growing Tower

For those living in a small space with no yard, or those in a climate with an especially harsh winter, this setup is an ideal option for accessing fresh produce at a fraction of the cost of the grocery store. 

There are many tutorials available for building your own setup, or options for buying a premade product. View a list of DIY or pre-made options at Homesteading.com here.

Whatever your setup choice, the basic concept remains the same. Veggies grow in little pockets of soil along a central tower that is watered through a series of pipes. Place in an area with adequate sunlight, or purchase an inexpensive overhead plant-growing light so you can place the tower anywhere in your home where you have space. Though many veggies can grow in this setup, start with the easy stuff like lettuce and herbs before branching out to vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers.