No Yard? No Problem! Here's How to Grow Vegetables Indoors

Put your green thumb to work-and save yourself a trip to the farmer’s market-by growing your own veggies, fruits, herbs, and other foods indoors year-round.

To get started, you'll need a pot with drainage holes and specially designed indoor potting soil. While some options can grow in small planters, larger veggies will require big and deep containers so their roots have space to flourish. And to ensure your soil drains properly (no soggy pots allowed!), it may be helpful to DIY your very own mixture by adding some organic perlite into high-quality potting soil.

Once you’ve got your supplies, find yourself a sunny window (veggies will need at least 4-6 hours of sunshine while fruits will need at least 8-10 hours daily), and get to potting.

When it comes to watering, each plant will be a bit different, but it’s always best to remember the old adage: less is more. And here’s a sage idea: Set up a cool mist humidifier near your indoor garden to help simulate their typical outdoor conditions and to prevent them from drying out.

To give your plants an extra boost-especially when those dreary winter days roll around-invest in powerful grow lights, which start at just $33. You can also achieve faster growth (and do less work!) when it comes to herbs with an AeroGarden kit, which you can pick up for just $60.

Without grow lights, you can still expect to see sprouting rather quickly, but it will likely be several weeks to months before you can cut and enjoy your goodies. Follow these tips, choose from one of our favorite options below, and you'll be harvesting your own indoor crops in no time.