Gerald Filipski

If you are anything like me , you start to get the gardening itch again right about now . The other day while out driving , I passed a garden centre and had to pull in for a quick fix . While in there , I happened to see some seeds out on display and thought this would be a great time to talk about growing your own lettuce indoors .

There is something cathartic about growing things indoors and also in being able to harvest your own greens in the middle of winter . It really is easier than you think , and for a small investment you can enjoy growing your own lettuce year-round . For all you condo , townhouse , and apartment dwellers out there , this is a wonderful way to stay connected to your gardening roots . Being able to get your hands into the dirt even before the spring arrives may just be too appealing .

Let ’ s begin by having a look at what equipment you need to get started . In the past , we would have been talking about fluorescent light tubes mounted over a stand or table . This arrangement would take up a lot of room and was inconvenient for many gardeners without a lot of indoor space . Today , LED lights are the way to go . They screw into regular light sockets so you can use a desk lamp or a simple clamp-on fixture to hold the bulb . I would recommend two bulbs , one placed on either side of the growing area . They should be 10 cm above the plants you will be growing for maximum effectiveness . They are relatively inexpensive and don ’ t take up much room . When choosing the bulbs , look for full-spectrum LED grow bulbs .

Next on the list is a good quality sterilized potting mix . This is one of those examples of “ you get what you pay for .” I learned this lesson long ago when I bought a discount potting mix only to find that it was full of branches ! In addition to the

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