Indoor gardening is more than just practical—it’s a great way to stay connected to nature year-round. If you want to fill your home with greenery and fresh food, here are some vegetables that grow beautifully indoors.
Table of Contents
Vegetables To Grow Indoors
Indoor gardening lets you harvest your own produce throughout the year, and you’re in control of the setup. Pick the right varieties, give them a little love, and you’ll be surprised by what you can grow right in your own space.
Lettuce
Lettuce grows fast if you give it enough light. Loose-leaf and butterhead types are your best bet indoors. Grab a shallow container with drainage holes and keep the soil damp, but not drenched.
Stick the pot near a sunny window or use a LED grow light if your place is a bit dim. Snip off outer leaves as you need them, and the plant keeps chugging along.
Lettuce likes it cool—think 60-70°F. Feed with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every couple of weeks. It’s honestly one of the easiest indoor veggies for a quick salad fix.
Spinach
Spinach handles indoor life pretty well, especially if you use six-inch-deep pots for good roots. Plant seeds about half an inch deep in a potting mix that drains well.
Give it a sunny spot or use a grow light for at least 12 hours a day. Keep the soil moist, but don’t overdo it. The leaves are best when they’re still young and soft.
Pick leaves one at a time and more will grow in. Try to keep it under 75°F—otherwise, spinach tends to bolt. A nitrogen-rich fertilizer every three weeks keeps the leaves coming.
Kale
Kale’s leaves are tough and packed with nutrients. It’s not fussy about the cold, either. Compact types like ‘Dwarf Blue Curled’ or ‘Red Russian’ work well in containers.
Deep pots are best for the roots. Give kale plenty of sunlight or use a grow light for eight hours a day. Snip young outer leaves for a steady harvest.
Keep the soil moist and feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks. Kale’s hardiness makes it a solid pick for indoor growing.
Arugula
Arugula brings a peppery punch to salads and sandwiches. Scatter seeds in a shallow tray and cover them lightly with soil. These guys sprout fast—sometimes in just a few days.
Set the tray on a bright windowsill or add a bit of artificial light if needed. Once the leaves are a few inches tall, start picking the outer ones to keep the plant going.
It likes cooler temps under 70°F. Just keep the soil damp, not soggy. Arugula grows quickly, so you’ll be snipping leaves often.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard doesn’t need as much light as some other greens, which is handy for indoor setups. Compact types like ‘Bright Lights’ are great. Use a six-inch-deep pot with nutrient-rich soil.
Give it at least eight hours of artificial light or a spot by a sunny window. Harvest outer stems to keep the plant producing. Chard bounces back after each cut.
Water when the top inch of soil is dry and feed monthly. You get both colorful stems and mild greens from just a few plants.
Green Onions
Green onions (scallions) are easy—grow them from seeds or even from leftover roots. Stick bulb ends upright in a shallow dish of water, then move them to soil after sprouting.
Keep them in a sunny window or use a grow light for lush growth. Snip the tops as you need them—they’ll keep coming back. Loose potting mix is best.
Water moderately, don’t drown them, and feed every few weeks for thicker stalks. These are a go-to for fresh greens on demand.
Garlic Greens
Garlic greens come from cloves, not seeds. Plant a clove pointy end up in a pot, and put it somewhere bright.
The shoots grow quickly—you can eat them once they’re 6-8 inches tall. Snip the greens and let them regrow. They’re milder than garlic bulbs and great in salads or stir fry.
Keep the soil just barely moist. You won’t get bulbs, but you’ll have plenty of tasty shoots in a few weeks.
Carrots
Carrots need deep, loose containers for straight roots. Pick small or round types like ‘Parisian’ or ‘Thumbelina’ for indoor growing. Sow seeds thinly and keep the soil moist until they sprout.
They need strong light—south-facing windows or LED grow lights are ideal. Thin the seedlings early so the roots have room.
Carrots take patience—expect to wait several weeks. Gently brush aside the soil to check size and pull them when they look ready.
Radishes
Radishes are perfect for containers since they mature fast. Use a pot at least six inches deep and space seeds about an inch apart in pre-moistened soil.
Give them at least six hours of direct light. Once the first true leaves show, thin them so they’re not crowded. Keep up with watering, or the roots get tough.
They’re usually ready in three to four weeks. Harvest when they’re the right size—wait too long and they get pithy. Super easy, super quick.
Beets
Beets give you both roots and greens. Short-rooted types work best indoors, since big ones can get weirdly shaped. Plant in pots at least eight inches deep.
Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. They need 8-10 hours of light daily. Thin the plants so the bulbs have space to grow.
You can pick the greens young or wait for the roots to mature. When ready, loosen the soil and pull them out gently. Both the roots and greens are worth eating.
Microgreens
Microgreens are just seedlings, harvested about two weeks after planting. Try seeds like broccoli, kale, radish, or sunflower in a shallow tray with light potting mix or coconut coir.
Mist daily to keep the surface moist. Place trays under a grow light or in a sunny spot. Snip them when the first true leaves come in—super fresh and packed with nutrients.
Turn the trays now and then for even growth, especially if you’re using sunlight. Rinse and chill them for salads or sandwiches.
Peas
Peas need something to climb, even indoors. Go for dwarf or bush varieties with short vines. An eight-inch-deep pot works—plant seeds an inch apart.
Let the shoots grab onto strings or mesh. They need six or more hours of direct light daily. Water enough to keep the soil moist.
Pick pods when they’re full, or snip pea shoots before pods form. They prefer cooler indoor temps.
Bush Beans
Bush beans don’t need much support, unlike pole beans. Choose dwarf types for small spaces. Plant three or four seeds in a deep pot with well-draining soil.
Give them at least eight hours of strong light, or use LED grow lights. Keep the soil moist, not soaked. Thin out the weaker seedlings.
Harvest beans once the pods swell but before they get lumpy. Pick often for more beans. They’re a space-saver for indoor gardeners.
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes can thrive indoors if you give them enough light. Dwarf or patio types are best for containers. Use a 12-inch-deep pot with rich soil.
They’ll need 12-16 hours of bright, direct light—grow lights really help here. Add a small stake or cage for support.
Water when the top inch of soil dries. For fruit, you might need to gently shake the stems. Pick tomatoes as soon as they color up for the best taste.
Hot Peppers
Hot peppers can do well indoors if it’s warm and bright enough. Use at least 8-inch pots for each plant. Compact types like ‘Cayenne’ or ‘Jalapeño’ are good for containers.
Give them 12 hours of strong light daily. Warm rooms mean more fruit. Let the top of the soil dry between waterings.
They self-pollinate, but a gentle shake helps. Harvest once the peppers change color and size up.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are started from seeds or young plants. Use a 10-inch-deep pot so the roots have room. Put them in full sun or under a bright grow light.
Keep the moisture even to avoid blossom end rot. Daytime temps should be around 70-80°F. Feed lightly every few weeks.
Support the plants if needed. Pick peppers when they turn a solid, bright color for the best crunch.
Bok Choy
Bok choy grows fast indoors, whether from seed or small plants. It likes shallow, wide containers with fertile, moist soil. Sow seeds half an inch deep and thin them out as they grow.
Give at least six hours of direct light. Keep the room cool to avoid early flowering. Water consistently for crisp leaves and thick stems.
Harvest whole plants or just outer leaves. Young bok choy is especially sweet and crisp.
Mustard Greens
Mustard greens are spicy and great for salads or cooking. Sow seeds thinly in a six-inch-deep planter and cover lightly. Keep the soil moist until they sprout.
They grow quickly with bright light—rotate the pots for even growth. Pick leaves small for a milder taste, or let them get big for more bite.
Snip leaves often to encourage new ones. Use a balanced fertilizer every couple of weeks.
Turnip Greens
Turnip greens can come from regular turnip seeds or greens-only types. Plant in a wide, deep pot and thin the seedlings so they’re not crowded. Use a potting mix that drains well.
Give them at least eight hours of light—grow lights help if your place is dark. Water often enough for steady growth. Pick outer leaves when they’re a good size.
You can let a few roots develop for baby turnips, too. The leaves are best young and tender.
Watercress
Watercress likes things wet and a bit shady. Use a shallow tray with sterile potting mix or a hydroponic setup. Keep the water level steady—think swampy, but not flooded.
Set it in a bright kitchen window with filtered light. Snip leaves at 2-3 inches tall. Frequent harvesting keeps it bushy and tender.
If your tap water’s harsh, try distilled or filtered water for happier plants.
Celery
Celery takes patience indoors but rewards you with crisp stalks. Start from seed or regrow from the base of a store-bought bunch in a deep pot. Give it strong, indirect light.
Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Fertilize monthly with diluted solution. Celery likes it cool—60-70°F works best.
Harvest outer stalks when they’re big enough, or cut the whole plant as needed. Indoor celery is often more tender than what you’d get outside.
Parsley (Grown as a Vegetable Garnish)
Parsley starts easily from seed or by splitting up an older plant—either way works. Grab a 6-inch-deep pot, fill it with loose, well-draining soil, and set it where it’ll catch some morning sun or under a small grow light if you don’t have great windows.
Keep the soil a bit damp at first, watering when the surface seems dryish. Snip off leaves with scissors whenever you need a little garnish or seasoning; the plant doesn’t mind.
Give it a diluted fertilizer once a month. With a bit of regular trimming, it’ll stick around indoors all year.
Basil (Often Used as a Leafy Green)
Basil loves warmth and plenty of sunlight. Use a pot that drains well, fill it with rich potting soil, and set it in a sunny south-facing window or under bright grow lights if you can swing it.
Water when the soil feels dry to the touch, and pinch off any flower buds you spot—this helps keep the leaves coming. If you pick the upper leaves first, you’ll encourage the plant to get nice and bushy.
Every few weeks, feed it with a liquid fertilizer. That bold, fresh flavor is a classic for salads, pesto, or just tossing on top of whatever you’re eating.
Chives
Chives are easygoing—start them from seed or divide a clump if you’ve got one handy. Plant in a small pot with moist soil, and set it on a sunny windowsill. If daylight’s short, a little extra light doesn’t hurt.
Give the leaves a trim now and then, and the plant will keep coming back. Their gentle onion flavor is just right for soups, eggs, or potatoes.
Water lightly; don’t let the soil dry out completely, but don’t drown it either. They’re pretty tough indoors and you’re not likely to see many pests.
Broccoli Sprout
Broccoli sprouts are picked just a few days after they start growing. You can use a sprouting jar or even just a shallow tray with damp paper towels. Rinse the seeds twice a day and make sure they drain well—nobody likes soggy sprouts.
They’re usually good to go when they hit about 2 inches tall, which tends to happen somewhere between 4 and 7 days. They don’t need much light; honestly, indirect sunlight does the trick.
Give them a rinse before eating to keep the texture crisp. Broccoli sprouts pack a nutritional punch and are great tossed into salads or tucked into sandwiches.
