Indoor Gardening in Montreal

Want to get Growing Your Own Food?
Start small and add projects as you go!

Read books and articles, watch videos and attend local workshops!

Level one : Beginner Projects

• Jar sprouts

• Herbs

Start-up cost: Less than $30

Level Two: Next Step Projects

• Microgreens

• Greens

Start-up cost: Less than $50

Level Three: Urban Homesteader Projects

• Vegetables

• Mushrooms

• Hydroponics 

Start-up cost: $50 - $500

Level Four: Advanced Projects

• Tropicals

• Aquaponics

• Aeroponics

Start-up cost: Quite varied

GETTING SET UP:

Equipment

• Heat mat
• Timer
• Plastic mister tank
• Irrigation tubes and pump
• Containers
• Indoor greenhouse or humidity dome
• Fans
• Lighting
• Organic local seeds, seedlings or transplants

WHERE TO GROW?

• Kitchen
• Bathrooms: high humidity, body products, ventilation and light
• Hallways
• Basements - cold? mold?
• Avoid bedrooms

WHAT TO GROW ON?

• Dedicated grow table with tabletop tarp/water collection 
• Shelving : adjustable, plastic or coated metal
• Pots on stands, stoold, bench, WALL MOUNTED
• Containers: Drainage holes, sized to your available indoor space, correct depth, side air holes

VENTILATION

Issues from no ventilation:

• Moldy seeds
• Struggling starts
• Pest issues
• No germination

WHAT TO DO?

1. Large spaces, such as basement try to use two fans for cross flow of air

 (box or oscillating)

2. Other space have at least one fan (tabletop, clip-fan)

3. Open greenhouse and other covered planters periodically for air flow

WATERING

• Bottom watering : veg, shoots, herbs VS. Drainage and root rot
• Timed irrigation systems
• Misters and large watering tanks with pole
• Add liquid fertilizer to water
• Ideally allow chlorine to evaporate off

Avoiding and Resolving Mold Issues

• Proper watering

• Fan

• Garlic water spray

• Rosemary, Cinnamon and tea tree spray

• Chamomile

• Scoop off mold, increase light

SOIL

Use organic soil whenever possible!
We recommend ProMix!

General DIY indoor mix:
8 cups veg potting soil that contains compost
2 cups vermiculite

Mix and moisten before seeding

OR

1 part black earth
1 part compost

LIGHTING

BALLAST/FIXTURE: used, Hardware Store, Univert, Online (plug in shop light - adjustable bar)
BULB:
1. Full spectrum fluorescent : Best replication of sunshine = T8 or t5 bulbs
2. High Density Discharge (HID): only in red or in blue, More expensive, bad colour for your home
3. LED: Best but most expensive (low heat and low energy use)

REFLECTORS 

TIMERS

What Are Different Colours Used For?

Red/orange = stimulates growth and flowering (long stems) 

Blue = regulate growth and foliage (short stems)

Treating Pests

• Treat Your plants right!

Rubbing alcohol on swaps

• Neem (not edible)

• Dish soap or gentle castile

• Rinsing

• Release ladybugs or lace wings

WHAT TO GROW?
Considerations when choosing a plant to grow :

• Light requirements

• Required depth

• Spacing

• Soil and fertilization

• Management level

• Suitable for containers/indoors?

Transplanting from outdoors

• Harden off

• Check for bugs

BEST THINGS TO START WITH:

• Greens: Lettuce, kale, swiss chard, arugala, spinach
• Sprouts and microgreens
• Green onions
• Ginger
• Carrots
• Beets

SPROUTS in Jars and MICROGREENS in Soil

• Grow microgreens in low light windows, such as basement window ledges.
• Change locations during the season if necessary - heat and light
• Buy seeds in bulk after getting comfortable with production
• Try creating a Microgreens Quilt using a variety of seeds with similar germination speed
• Use Basic potting mix or compost with some vermiculite
• Store in glass for 1-2 weeks 

Growing Greens

• Long box, not too deep 
• Use Soil mix (above) pre-moistening
• Organic seeds (info on space and depth of seed, time of germination)
• Grow light or sunny window
• Harvest leaves from outside for new leaves to grow from the centre
• Don`t allow to dry out

Growing Herbs

BEST TO START WITH:

• Mint
• Lemongrass
• Vietnamese coriander
• Rosemary

• Keep roots from staying wet
• Prop up pot above tray
• Add sand and vermiculite to improve drainage
• Increase circulation every few months with chopstick or fork in soil
• Avoid Terra cotta - dries it to Quickly

Growing Cuttings, transplants, seeds or seedlings

• Fertilize every 10 days
• Make pebble tray of water under pot to increase humidity
• Mist twice weekly
• Water base of plant at roots
• 5 or more hours
• Remove and eat flowers
• Use fresh or preserve in oil, freeze or dry

MUSHROOMS

Growing Mushrooms: Oyster, Shiitake and Button Indoors