Indoor kitchen gardening : turn your home into a year-round vegetable garden: microgreens - sprouts - herbs - mushrooms - tomatoes, peppers & more

2014·42.94 MB·English

by  Elizabeth Millard

i N d O Or
K i t C h E N
G a r d E N i N G
ElizabEth Mill ard
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
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C o n t e n t s
First published in 2014 by Cool Springs Press, a member of the Quarto Publishing
Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401
© 2014 Cool Springs Press
All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purposes of
review, no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permis-
sion from the Publisher.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge.
All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or
Publisher, who also disclaims any liability incurred in connection with the use of this
data or specific details.
Cool Springs Press titles are also available at discounts in bulk quantity for industrial
or sales-promotional use. For details write to Special Sales Manager at Quarto Pub-
lishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401
6
USA. To find out more about our books, visit us online at www.coolspringspress.com.
Digital edition: 978-1-59186-593-3
14
Softcover edition: 978-1-61058-981-9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Millard, Elizabeth.
Indoor kitchen gardening : turn your home into a year-round vegetable garden:
microgreens - sprouts - herbs - mushrooms - tomatoes, peppers & more / Elizabeth
Millard.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-59186-593-3 (softcover)
1. Vegetable gardening. 2. Indoor gardening. I. Title.
SB324.5.M54 2014
635--dc23
2014000471
Acquisitions Editor: Mark Johanson
Design Manager: Brad Springer
Layout: Mayfly Design
Interior Design: Rob Johnson
Front Cover Design: Rob Johnson
Photography: Crystal Liepa
Printed in China
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C o n t e n t s
6 Introduction
14 Growing Edibles Indoors
Thinking Ahead / 16
Find Your Space / 18
Getting Started / 26
Common Problems / 52
Attitude / 58
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Contents (continued) Contents (continued)
60 Microgreens, Shoots, Herbs, 150
Wheatgrass, Sprouts, and Mushrooms
Microgreens / 62
Pea Shoots, Sunflower Shoots, and
Popcorn Shoots / 84
Herbs / 102
Wheatgrass & Pet Grass / 116
Sprouts / 130
Mushrooms / 140
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Contents (continued) Contents (continued)
Microgreens, Shoots, Herbs, 150 Radishes, Carrots, Tomatoes, and
Wheatgrass, Sprouts, and Mushrooms Other Crops
Microgreens / 62 Lettuces / 154
Pea Shoots, Sunflower Shoots, and Radishes / 162
Popcorn Shoots / 84 Carrots / 168
Herbs / 102 Kale & Chard / 174
Wheatgrass & Pet Grass / 116 Spinach / 180
Sprouts / 130 Beets / 188
Mushrooms / 140 Hot Peppers / 194
Potatoes / 202
Tomatoes / 210
Vary Your Crop Mix / 219
Now Go Inside and Play / 220
220 Conclusion
221 Resources
223 Index
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I n t r o d u c t i o n
Growing up in Minnesota, my
schools always seemed located
across from cornfields and
farm stands, but wearily gazing outside
during math class was about as close
as I got to agriculture. Although my
great-grandparents and grandparents
were farmers, I grew up in the suburbs,
a land of uniform lawns and frozen
vegetables, and although I deeply
appreciated lazing around in trees and
watching bees in the neighbor’s garden,
I never imagined I’d be spending any
Elizabeth (Bossy E) and Karla (Bossy K) in a rare moment of relaxation at their Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) farm, Bossy Acres, in Minnesota.
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I n t r o d u c t i o n
Growing up in Minnesota, my time digging, weeding, or talking about
schools always seemed located compost. The concept of growing food
across from cornfields and was about as foreign to me as algebra
farm stands, but wearily gazing outside (which I also believed I’d never use).
during math class was about as close After a few decades in the business
as I got to agriculture. Although my world, that sense of disconnection
great-grandparents and grandparents to my food remained, although I’d
were farmers, I grew up in the suburbs, expanded into cooking more meals and
a land of uniform lawns and frozen using more than one spice at a time.
vegetables, and although I deeply It wasn’t until I was in my early 40s,
appreciated lazing around in trees and though, that I actually grew anything
watching bees in the neighbor’s garden, more than an appetite.
I never imagined I’d be spending any
Elizabeth (Bossy E) and Karla (Bossy K) in a rare moment of relaxation at their Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) farm, Bossy Acres, in Minnesota.
introduction 7
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When people ask how I got into Before we first managed to get into The experience went against
farming, I like to say that I dated my way our farmland, though, we began by everything I’d believed for most of my
into it. I met my future partner, Karla growing a wealth of crops inside. Winter life: that indoor vegetable growing was
Pankow, during a Habitat for Humanity in Minnesota is notorious for wearing for experts who possessed deeply green
build in Zambia, Africa, and we joke optimists down to a brittle nub, but thumbs, and that anything edible raised
that our relationship started while we the more experimentation we did with inside a house had to be grown in some
had dirt-encrusted hands, so why not microgreens, pea shoots, radishes, and extensive, costly system. Most of all, I
continue the tradition from there? The other tasty vegetables, the more we felt thought having a little two-bedroom
beautiful simplicity of living there— like we were extending summer into bungalow in the city was a huge draw-
albeit for only a few weeks—stayed our house. As the snow buried the cars back because I didn’t have an expansive
with both of us, and we realized that outside, we harvested wave after wave of kitchen with tons of natural light, or a
we yearned to create a life focused on tiny, delicious greens that kept us busy finished basement with space for rows
sustainability, abundance, gratitude, and until we could find some fields to till— upon rows of grow lights.
plenty of dirt. By launching a farm, Bossy or at least break into the raised beds in Fortunately, through several sea-
Acres, we’re off to an excellent start. our backyard garden in Minneapolis. sons of indoor growing, I came to see
that there are plenty of options when
it comes to in-home “farming.” Nutri-
ent-rich microgreens, sprouted alfalfa
Microgreens and other indoor edibles do more than simply feed the body. They add color and texture to the Bossy Acres, the Community Supported Agriculture farm operated by Elizabeth and Karla, relies heavily on
interior of your home, and watching them grow is an exciting adventure for kids and adults alike. volunteer field work from CSA members who enjoy getting their hands dirty.
8 introduction
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