Indoor Garden Chick

No backyard required

Grow a real garden in the smallest room of your home

Step-by-step guides for herbs, vegetables and houseplants — written for renters, beginners and anyone working with a windowsill instead of a yard.

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20+
tested guides
8
topics covered
0 m²
of yard needed
A sunny windowsill herb garden with basil, mint and small potted vegetables

Every guide tested in a real 45 m² apartment

What do you want to grow?

Pick a topic and get a clear path from empty shelf to first harvest.

Beginner Gardening

Beginner Gardening

Step-by-step guides for your very first indoor garden — what to grow, what to buy, and what to skip.

Indoor Herb Gardening

Indoor Herb Gardening

Basil, mint, thyme and more: how to keep a windowsill herb garden alive and productive all year.

Small-Space Vegetables

Small-Space Vegetables

Lettuce, green onions, microgreens and compact tomatoes that actually crop indoors.

Apartment Gardening

Apartment Gardening

Renter-friendly setups for shelves, balconies, corners and windows with very little floor space.

Container Gardening

Container Gardening

Pot sizes, drainage, self-watering planters and soil mixes for indoor growing.

Grow Lights

Grow Lights

How much light plants really need, and how to choose and position an affordable LED grow light.

Hydroponic Gardening

Hydroponic Gardening

Soil-free countertop systems for fast, clean harvests in tiny kitchens.

Indoor Plant Care

Indoor Plant Care

Watering, humidity, feeding and troubleshooting so your plants stay healthy year-round.

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All articles
How Much Light Do Indoor Plants Need?

grow lights

How Much Light Do Indoor Plants Need?

Light is the input beginners misjudge most. Here is how to read your own windows and know when a lamp is required.

September 25, 20268 min read

Your first garden in four steps

The exact order we'd follow if we had to start over in a studio apartment.

  1. 1

    Measure your light

    Track how many hours of direct sun your windows actually get — it decides everything else.

  2. 2

    Start with 3 easy plants

    Basil, mint and green onions forgive almost every beginner mistake and crop fast.

  3. 3

    Learn to water less

    Overwatering kills more indoor plants than anything else. Check the soil first, always.

  4. 4

    Add a grow light if needed

    A $25 LED bar under a shelf turns any dark corner into a productive growing spot.

Fresh from the garden journal