Yes, You Can Grow Veggies Indoors with New Kitchen Minis
The joy of growing your own veggies just came indoors. Most edible crops need lots of room to grow properly, but a brand new line of vegetable plants called Kitchen Minis can grow on a windowsill or light-drenched countertop in a 4- to 6-inch pot. These smaller tomato and pepper plants are sold already in flower and they often have young fruit on them, too. It doesn't get much fresher than plucking a few cherry tomatoes or peppers a few feet from where you're preparing your dinner salad, all without having to go outside. Perfect for first-time gardeners, Kitchen Minis combine the delight of a homegrown harvest with the ease of growing an indoor plant.
Courtesy of PanAmerican Seeds
The Kitchen Minis line includes three sweet pepper varieties, four tiny tomato varieties, and nine hot pepper selections. A few of the tiny vegetable options include 'Fresh Bites' snack peppers, flaming 'Hot Lemon' hot peppers, and sweet, juicy 'Red Velvet' cherry tomatoes. Each variety offers unique flavors, shapes, and colors.
"Table-top and windowsill vegetables have been popular in many parts of the world, especially in dense, urban environments where having outdoor garden space is rare," says Josh Kirschenbaum of PanAmerican Seed. Kirschenbaum and their team set out to find plants that can produce fruit indoors. "I'm most excited that people who don't have a garden or even a patio now have the opportunity to experience the joy of growing their own food."
Related: How to Grow Microgreens Indoors
Kitchen Minis need sunlight and consistent watering to produce handfuls of fruit. Place your pot near a sunny window and water plants when the soil feels dry to the touch. The small pots of soil dry out quickly so make sure to check the soil moisture daily and water frequently.
There's no need to transplant your tomato or pepper into a larger pot. It will thrive in the container you purchase it in, but you can add some style by setting the plastic growing pot into a decorative outer container, if you like. Plants can become top-heavy as the fruit ripens; if that happens, sink chopsticks into the soil near the base of the plant to help support the bountiful branches.
Look for Kitchen Minis in independent garden centers and large retail garden centers. These plants also can be found in the gift plant section of some grocery stores.
