What Are The Best Indoor Gardening Supplies?
Whether you are starting to bring your plants indoors because of the cooler temperatures or just love indoor planting, you are going to need some basic indoor gardening supplies to help your plants flourish. We've complied a short list of our favorite indoor gardening supplies to help you and your plants grow during these cold fall/winter months!
1. Neem Oil
Neem Oil – Buy from Amazon for $11.34
Pesticides are a tool that plant parents want to use to ensure their plants thrive, but oftentimes they are filled with toxic chemicals that can be harmful to your plants, your pets, and you. Neem oil is a unique treatment because it is a non-toxic pesticide that helps your plants thrive. Since it is fully extracted from the Azadirachta indica tree, it is completely natural, leaving behind no chemicals in your soil and making it perfectly safe to treat growing herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Of course, there are safety precautions that should be followed when using this pesticide, but overall neem oil is a great purchase for any plant parent.
A spray bottle dispenser allows for easy application and even distribution of the oil, ensuring that those pests get away and stay away. It is best for controlling aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites, as well as mildew and black spots. Countless pests can infect your plants, even indoors, so making sure you have a safe way to avoid them is a necessity for at-home plant care.
2. LED Grow Lights
Soltech Grow Lights – Buy from Soltech Solutions for $75-$200
If you don’t have an outdoor space, need to bring your plants indoors for the colder seasons, or want to keep plants decorating your house throughout the year, a grow light can make your planting dreams come true. With a grow light, there is no need to worry about making more room on the windowsill or leaving interior rooms of the house barren of greenery due to a lack of natural light. Soltech’s hanging LED Grow Lights are an essential if you want to help your plants thrive indoors.
These lights come in several designs and adaptations, so you can ensure you are purchasing the right indoor plant lighting for your planting needs. Whether your plants are hanging and need direct sunlight, potted and prefer low-light, on a grow wall, or any other combination, Soltech is sure to have the lights you need. Plus, every light comes with a 5-year warranty, so your grow lights are sure to keep your plants flourishing for years to come. To find out which light is right for you, check out some FAQs about just what makes each light unique and make sure you are getting exactly what you (and your plants) need!
3. Long-Term Watering Pots and Globes
Self Watering Planter Pots – Buy from Amazon for $12.99-$23.99
Going on vacation? Having trouble keeping up with consistent watering? If so, a self-watering pot is a plant-life-saver. Perfect for indoor or outdoor use, these planters from Amazon have a clever design that waters your plants for you. Using a cotton rope and a water-storage base, your plant automatically soaks up the moisture it needs from the rope, and the rope is perpetually moist by staying dipped in the stored water below. Each fill of the storage container lasts your plant roughly 10 days, depending on how much water it requires daily, allowing you over a week of hands-free watering.
If you’re looking for an alternative that will water your plants for a shorter amount of time, try watering globes. These globes hold water and will slowly release it as the soil it is submerged in dries. While they won’t be reliable to water your plant for more than a few days, they are easily refillable and reduce the upkeep needs of your plant. Both self-watering pots and watering globes are helpful assistants for a busy plant parent – and beautifully decorative additions!
4. Moisture Meter
3-in-1 Moisture Meter – Buy from The Sill for $15
It can be hard to tell if our plants are being given the exact conditions they want, but now there is no need to worry about if your soil is too dry or acidic, or if your planter is sitting in the wrong light. A moisture meter is a great tool to assist you in not only watering but also tracking the light needs and pH of your plant! Stick this meter into the soil and 10 minutes later you’ll have an accurate reading of these 3 important metrics. If you constantly overwater your plant in fear of doing just the opposite, this tool will be your new best friend.
Here is our tip for best use: find out your plant’s ideal moisture, pH, and light levels (typically a quick search or provided with the purchase of your plant) and record it on a notepad. Then, after the 10-minute reading, cross-compare your plant’s desired levels to what the meter reads. Make sure to label each plant’s needs to keep all your plants’ environments straight!
5. Composting Bin
OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin – Buy from Amazon $22.16-$32.95
To add a natural fertilizer to your plants and reduce your waste, invest in a compost bin! There are tons of options for composting containers – you can even make your own at home – but if you’re looking for a little less assembly, the OXO Good Grips Compost Bin is a great find. It’s small enough to fit right on the countertop, making disposal of food scraps convenient! The locking lid prevents spills and odors, and the sleek interior makes cleaning painless.
Composting is much less intimidating than it may sound – and it’s beneficial for helping your plants thrive! It enriches your soil, diminishing the need for other fertilizers and enhancing the growth of healthy bacteria. You can use most of your natural food waste for your compost; coffee grounds, eggshells, leftover veggies, and so much more don’t need to take up space in your garbage can or the landfill anymore! Even shredded newspaper, sawdust, and leaves can be composted to maintain moisture in your compost solution and encourage the process until it is ready to be used. Your compost won’t be ready the next day, or even the next week, but once you get it started you’ll see how easy it is to add your waste to and then sit back and wait for it to mature.
6. Wall Planter
The Loop Hanging Planter ($30) and The Wally Eco Pot ($30) from Soltech Solutions
Your plants will need a good home if they are to thrive to their fullest potential. Where you keep your plants can be just as important as how often you water them and how much light they get. Without a planter that can drain properly or allow for the roots to grow. Soltech Solutions has two great wall planters in store right now, the Loop Hanging Planter and the Wally Eco Wall Planter. Both of these planters are made from recycled milk jugs.
On top of being environmentally friendly, they both drain very efficiently and allow for your plant’s roots to grow healthy.
7. Archetto - Transparent Wall Mount
The Archetto Transparent Wall Mount ($30) is a sleek way to hold up your grow lights.
If you have just bought a new grow light, such as the Aspect™ LED Growlight from Soltech Solutions, you are going to need a way to hang it. The Archetto – Transparent Wall Mount is 13 inches and easily mountable to allow your grow light to provide the best lighting possible. Check out this article from Soltech Solutions about the top 5 grow light fixtures 5 Gorgeous Grow Light Fixtures For Your Vita Grow Bulb if you want to learn more about how light fixtures can be efficient and beautiful.
8. Wall Timer
The analog wall timer ($5) will help set your lights on timers that mimic real life light cycles.
If you have a particularly busy schedule, or struggle to remember to turn your lights on and off a strict schedule, you should invest in wall timers. These two wall timers, Analog Outlet Wall Timer and Digital Plant Wall Timer, from Soltech Solutions allow you to have your grow lights on a set time schedule, one that can replicate the day/night cycle your plants prefer!
