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Indoor Plants for City Gardeners & Simple Recipes You Can Make with Your Harvest

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Are you one of those city dwellers that live in an apartment but love gardening? Do you prefer harvesting your fruits and vegetables from the comfort of your home to be cooked or eaten fresh? Fret not; growing plants in the city is not as hard as you think!

You do not necessarily need a farm or a big piece of land to start growing your own crop. You can even have your mini garden on your apartment’s balcony.

There are a lot of plants that can thrive in a small and indoor environment.

Plants sprouting—indoor plants for city gardeners
Indoor plants for city gardeners—Image via Markus Spiske.

These are a few of the fruits and vegetables you can grow in your apartment. This way, you can harvest organic food while saving money on groceries!

Avocados

All you require to plant an avocado is an avocado itself.

You can buy yourself an avocado from the nearest supermarket near your house and use it to make yourself some toast or avocado juice.

  • Once you acquire an avocado, remove, and clean the seed.
  • After washing the seed off, stick four toothpicks into its base and soak it halfway in a glass of water.
  • Afterward, position the glass on a well-lit windowsill and remember to keep the water filled.
  • Wait for a few weeks, and you can see the roots develop.
  • By then, it is ready to be planted in a pot of soil.
  • After planting the seed, keep the pot under the sun and water it frequently but moderately.

Want a delicious recipe?

Recipe

With the avocado that you grew in your apartment, you have various options on what to do with it.

Avocados consist of healthy fats, which makes them very creamy and rich in flavor. Most often used in guacamole, this fruit has much more to offer than just being utilized as a dip at a party.

If you plan to use the avocado that you grew in your apartment and add them to your breakfast schedule, you can consider this recipe.

Avocado Juice

It is a simple avocado-based recipe you can make even in a rush.

To make this juice more flavourful, you can add honey and lime according to your preference.

  • The first step is to mix the lime, honey, and avocado into a juicer.
  • Afterward, add some basil to taste.
  • Gradually add the ice or water (whichever you favor) until the juice reaches its desired consistency.

Finally, pour into a glass and serve immediately.

Lemons

Tiny lemon trees look lovely as houseplants. But they also smell fantastic and provide juicy fruits that can be used for salad and tea. Lemon trees are a little more challenging to care for. If you provide adequate light (at least 8 to 12 hours of sunlight each day) and place them in a moist environment, your lemon plant will thrive.

Lemons growing—indoor plants for city gardeners 1024x960 1
Indoor plants for city gardeners—Image via Steve Doig.

Recipe

Try making lemon curd.

Lemon Curd

Nothing beats a simple, tangy lemon curd made from scratch. This dessert is perfect for toast, scones, hot buttered crumpets, and even ice cream.

  • The first step is to combine the lemon zest, juice, sugar, and butter in a heatproof bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water.
  • Stir continuously until the butter melts.
  • Then, using a fork or a whisk, add the egg mixture.
  • Continue stirring the concoction for about 10 minutes or until it thickens to the consistency of a custard.
  • Next, to remove the zest, pour the cooked curd through a sieve into a clean jug.
  • Afterward, pour the mixture into sterile jars and refrigerate the lemon curd for up to 2 weeks.

And you’re done!

Salad Greens

Why spend money on salad greens like romaine lettuce or spinach that wilt and spoil in the fridge after only a few days of you purchasing them?

Instead, you can buy a starter kit to cultivate your salad greens in warm, damp soil.

One thing you need to ensure that the plants get enough sunlight, and you’ll be eating freshly picked salad regularly in no time.

Recipe

Try this one out!

Summer Asian Slaw

Slaws are some of the best salad recipes available. They are often made with vegetables like cabbage, kale, or broccoli and seasoned in advance.

Then, you can add a zesty dressing, herbs, and fruit to accentuate the flavor for optimal taste.

All you need for the ingredients are crunchy green and red cabbage, charred peppers, green onions, cilantro, mint & basil, peaches, and nuts.

The last step is to season it and bring everything together with a delicious ginger miso sauce! The ingredients for the dressing consist of cashew butter, lime juice, sesame oil, miso, and fresh ginger, which makes the whole meal taste creamy, tangy, nutty, and umami.

Potatoes

Potatoes are an excellent choice for individuals who love gardening but live in an apartment. They are resilient and can thrive in almost any environment with adequate sunshine.

You can purchase potato bags for growing potatoes in confined settings, but an ordinary bucket would suffice! Just remember to drill drainage holes at the bottom of the bucket before planting your potato seeds.

Potatoes in buckets—indoor plants for city gardeners
Indoor plants for city gardeners—Image via Eric Prouzet.

Recipe

We have a fantastic potato recipe just for you!

Microwave Jacket Potatoes with Swedish Prawn Salad

Prepare a microwave jacket potato for a quick and simple meal. We’ve made a traditional Swedish skagenröra out of prawns, dill, and mayonnaise.

  • The first step is to wash and scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush before properly drying them with kitchen paper.
  • Prick them with a sharp knife.
  • Next, cook the potatoes in the microwave for 5 minutes in a microwave-safe dish.
  • Turn the potatoes over and cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.
  • Afterward, set it aside; cover it with a tea towel.
  • Next, mix the prawns, dill, a squeeze of lemon juice, and the mayonnaise into a bowl.
  • You can season it with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Then, cut the warm potatoes into two sides.
  • Spread the butter between the potatoes, then top with the prawn salad.
  • Sprinkle it with some dill and a lemon slice on the side before serving it.

That would be all for today!


Final Remarks

Growing your food is so much fun, and living in an apartment or a small environment should not stop you from gardening.

The sweat and work you put into planting these vegetables and fruits will be worth it when you see them ripening and ready to be harvested.

I hope you liked today’s article. If so, let us know in the comments below, and please don’t forget to share this with your friends and family.

Regards,
Happy planting!