FIMBY: Is edible gardening possible indoors?

This is another installment in our year-long Food in My Back Yard series, devoted to edible gardening.

In these dark days of early winter, a gardener’s thoughts turn to green, and lots of it.  But it’s so wet outside, and spring is too far off. No greenhouse available. Is there anything that can be grown now, indoors?

Without getting into cultivating a certain weed, the answer is yes, but … be aware that most plants need plenty of light to grow and thrive. Grow lights that mimic daylight or excellent window light (south- or west-facing is best) is needed for most plants.

Here are some ideas, with links to detailed instructions:

— Microgreens. This is probably the easiest category of grown-indoors edible plants. Microgreens are greens,  herbs or vegetables that have just started to sprout. They can be clipped and added to sandwiches, sprinkled on salad or pizza, and stirred into light sauces.

This post from the UC master gardeners of Butte County has excellent, straightforward directions on growing microgreens. Note that fancy kits aren’t necessary. I would emphasize that containers and any tools used on microgreens need to be very clean, and the soil should be a sterile mix to avoid pathogens.

For a deep dive, watch this webinar from Contra Costa County master gardener Andrea Salzman.

— Herbs. Many herbs used in winter dishes can be grown inside, on a sunny window sill offering six or more hours of sunlight per day. Look for small or compact varieties, and keep each variety in its own pot.

Chives, parsley and mint are good “cut and come again” herbs. Cilantro and basil also can be grown indoors; best to start with small transplants for those.

The Sonoma master gardeners have put together excellent instructions for Winter Herbs Indoors.

— Citrus. Yes, you can grow citrus fruit indoors. The tree should be a dwarf variety with small fruit, such as kumquats or Meyer lemons. Light is absolutely important here: 8 to 12 hours’ worth, according to Four Winds Growers. If adequate sunlight isn’t available, be prepared to supplement it.

Four Winds’ instructions for citrus as houseplants can be found here.

— Lettuce. It’s easy to grow lettuce in winter outdoors in our climate, as long as there’s no freeze warnings. But if desired some varieties can be grown indoors — and others at least started there.

For indoor crops, stick to looseleaf varieties, such as Oakleaf or Lolla Rosa, or butterhead types. Again, watch the light — and watch the temperature, too. Germination of lettuce seeds is best at about 65 degrees; keep plants away from direct heat sources in the house. Seeds and soil need to be moist but not soggy; containers with good drainage are essential. Looseleaf varieties need containers at least 6 inches deep.

Harvest the whole plant or “cut and come again” to continue production. Do successive seeding in several smaller containers to keep lettuce coming all winter.

This Solano County master gardener article on growing lettuce in containers can be adapted for indoor growing.