Contrary to what you may have heard, it is possible to have a green thumb year round! Follow these helpful tips to ensure a healthy transition moving your garden from outdoors to indoors.

You will know it’s time to bring your plants indoors once the temperature starts dropping below 45°F.  Plants need time to acclimate to life indoors; during the first 5-10 days you can ensure a smooth process by keeping the plant outside for a few hours per day. Every day you should decrease the amount of time spent outside by 1-2 hours. Be sure to bring the plants indoors at night!

Any type of plant, with the proper care, can successfully be grown indoors. In fact, you can experience some major benefits by moving your garden indoors. For example, some plants effectively remove toxins scientists have associated with indoor air pollution!  Examples of common household plants with air-purifying abilities include:

When determining the best place for your indoor garden, consider the amount of the sunlight the plant will receive. Most plants and vegetables do best with 13-15 hours of sunlight per day alone! A grow light can provide the type of environment the garden needs to photosynthesize properly. Some other helpful investments for your indoor garden include a water meter and a humidifier.

Beware of the windowsill! Many people assume the windowsill is the best place in a home for their plants. This is an understandable assumption when space is at a premium.  Plants need to be moved away from the windowsill at night due to the temperature drop. Another major issue with the windowsill is a cold window creates a draft.  Some other options to consider would be shelves, tile floor, planting bench or table.

Your garden will not need as much fertilizer or water with the new indoor environment. During the winter, plants are programmed to go into a sort of dormant phase. The key to having a successful garden is to monitor your plants closely. Check out the chart below for signs to be on the lookout for: