20 Edible Plants That Are Easy To Grow Indoors

The best way to ensure that you are eating the most healthy, delicious, and inexpensive food is to grow it yourself. You might think that growing your own fruits and veggies will be difficult and time-consuming, but there are so many delicious foods that you can grow in your house!

Carrots

Carrots are one of the easiest vegetables to grow indoors because keeping a steady level of moisture in the soil is easier to maintain. There are many varieties of carrots that may be grown indoors that can not be found in produce sections of local markets. All it takes is a 12-inch pot, soil, and a sunny window, and anyone will be well on the way to harvesting beautifully delicious carrots.

Green Beans

Green beans taste so much better when they are fresh rather than canned. And good news! You can grow your very own green beans at home.  Just put them in a sunny window with moist soil. Green beans grow quickly so make sure you give them little sticks for stability and support. 

Potatoes

Potatoes are easy to grow in large baskets, buckets, or even plastic sacks.  Leave a little room at the top to add more compost as the plants start to develop.

Kale

Kale is surprisingly easy to grow indoors and even does well during the colder months. The trick is to sow the seeds a little farther apart to give the plants adequate room to grow. You should see sprouts within the week!

Mandarin Oranges

Growing mandarin oranges in pots can be tricky for two reasons: adequately sized pot and sufficient sunlight. Indoor mandarin trees will grow more like a shrub instead of a tree, but should be treated as any other indoor potted tree. You can expect a sweet and flavorful fruit in about 12 months, but that is simply an estimate and may take longer.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a very healthy addition to any diet because they are low in calories, high in fiber and contain lots of healthy potassium. Growing them at home is very simple and, since they grow best in a dark, moist environment, can be grown by almost anyone in almost any place. Harvest is usually 4 – 5 weeks from start to plate so growing these little gems indoors is very rewarding.

Avocados

Indoor cultivation of avocados is a project that is most successful using a grafted dwarf sapling if a fruit bearing tree is the desired result. These plants are difficult to care for and the process includes plant support, careful feeding and pruning, and transplanting as needed. Avocados can take up to 10 years to grow to the fruit-bearing stage and that’s if all conditions are just right.

Tomatoes

One of the great things about growing tomatoes in your home is that you don’t need a green thumb to produce vine-ripened tomatoes that are excellent on salads and in recipes. With just a 6-inch pot of soil and a bright, sunny, spot, windowsill-tomatoes can be ready to harvest in a few short weeks.

Lemons

One of the most aromatic, delightfully simple plants to grow indoors is a lemon tree. When planting this tree, the roots will need a big pot to allow for nice spread and the soil and branches must be kept moist in order to mimic a humid climate. However, providing these essential elements, coupled with proper watering and nourishment, will produce a beautifully fragrant tree that is sure to yield yummy lemons.

Mint

Mint plants are especially simple to grow and tend to thrive in a potted environment. Unlike most indoor plants, mint does not need lots of direct sunlight. Instead, mint requires indirect light, adequate drainage, and light misting in order to yield a fragrant and tasty garnish.

Bell Peppers

Growing bell peppers indoors allows for proper control of the growing environment which is essential for beautiful peppers. In addition, there is a longer growing season indoors which will yield more vegetables for longer periods of time. Picking right when it’s ready will also encourage new peppers to grow quickly without strain on the plant itself.

Ginger

Ginger is used in many stir fry dishes and has a distinct aroma. It can be expensive to purchase in local markets, but growing it can be easy and very rewarding. Ginger loves a humid environment so regular misting is important as well as well-drained soil and partial sunlight. Root to harvest, ginger is a favorite with in-home gardeners.

Beets

Beets are not only a colorful addition to your plate, they are also nutritionally heavy in vitamins and minerals. Easy to grow, beets are the perfect vegetable to grow for a beginning gardener as the plants are tolerant of many different growing environments. This delicious root is a great choice for indoor gardening and will deliver a nice, fulfilling, product.

Chives

A quirky little plant, chives are convenient to have sitting on a kitchen countertop ready to be cut and plopped into your favorite dish. These plants like a bit of humidity so place a small dish filled with pebbles and water nearby to provide the perfect environment for a healthy plant. In a few short weeks you’ll have aromatic chives for all your favorite dishes.

Rosemary

One of the most challenging edible plants to grow indoors is rosemary. The most common problems with growing rosemary is powdery mildew which can easily be avoided by using a fan to circulate the air around the plant. Other problems include lack of good watering habits, inadequate sunlight, and pesky pests. Avoiding these strains on the plants will generate a healthy plant that will thrive in your kitchen.

Salad Greens

Growing salad greens is a great way to perk up boring winter salads and will yield a full plate of salad in about a month’s time, from seed to harvest. Using a sunny, south-facing window or a growing lights is essential to get the appropriate amount of sunlight required to produce a full, healthy, crop. One of the easiest, most delicious, plants to grow indoors is salad greens, and with a few simple steps you can have fresh greens for weeks.

Radishes

Radishes are the perfect choice to grow indoors, as they are very quick to harvest and super easy to grow. This little, somewhat spicy, veggie is fool-proof so even kids can grow them. Radishes are a nice first vegetable for beginners and will give a first-timer a sense of pride when, in such a short time, the fruits of your labor will go from seed to plate.

Scallions

Scallions are a lovely addition to many recipes. As long as the conditions are right, they can be grown all year long on a sunny windowsill. After about 8 – 10 weeks the sprouts will be ready to cut and enjoy, while leaving about 1/2 inch above the soil so that the scallions will continue to produce.

Microgreens

Microgreens are tiny green plants that are big on flavor and big on price in local markets. However, they are pretty easy to grow at home given a few simple supplies, a sunny windowsill, and a small container. In only 2 – 3 short weeks from planting to harvest, microgreens can be garnishing your own homemade plates.

Cilantro

Growing cilantro indoors can be somewhat more challenging than outdoors particularly if you transplant it from an outdoor location. Since cilantro does not transplant well, make sure to start your indoor plant from seeds and provide a more sandy soil to prevent root restriction and nutrient deficiency.

Parsley

Ornamental and extremely sensible, parsley is a delicious garnish to almost any plate. To grow healthy and tasty, parsley needs about 6 hours in a bright, sunny spot along with the general humidity of the kitchen and cooking environment. It takes about 6 weeks from seed to plate to enjoy the fresh taste of parsley with your meals.

Garlic Greens

Garlic greens are sprouting, green shoots that have a mild, garlicky flavor. They are very easy to grow and only require a pot, soil, a sunny window, and water whenever dry. They take about 10 weeks from planting to harvest, and will continue to give off greens indefinitely, adding a punch to salads, baked potatoes, and anything that needs a little garnish.

Basil

Basil can be very temperamental when growing indoors. It’s important to use a plastic container to hold in the moisture as well as properly drained soil with pebbles or sand. Also, artificial light is crucial since basil requires an intense amount of sunlight in order to bear the best crop possible.