Great Indoor Garden Kits for Beginners every Senior Should Try

Taking care of a garden is one of the best ways to keep seniors active and engaged, among many other benefits. But depending upon your climate, most of the outdoor gardening season lasts only through the warm months of spring and summer. Therefore, if the garden is indoor, it can yield plants anytime and can ensure enjoyment for seniors all year round. 

What are the benefits of indoor gardens for seniors? Firstly, gardening has many benefits for seniors. But while gardening has its limitations due to the climate, by gardening indoors, plants can grow all year without worry of temperature changes or harsh conditions. In addition, indoor gardening requires less of a financial and time commitment. Besides, it allows seniors that are beginner gardeners to ease into the hobby.

So on this post I will talk about the main benefits of gardening for seniors and how to start an indoor gardening, including the best indoor garden kits for Beginners available on the market right now.

What are the Benefits of Gardening for Seniors?

1. By gardening, seniors can improve their immune system. 

Gardening can be a little messy, with all the dirt involved. But as it turns out, this dirt won’t harm you, and it might actually benefit you. Further studies have shown that the bacteria that is found in garden soil (Mycobacterium vaccae) can improve your immune system, alleviating symptoms of allergies, asthma, psoriasis, and even depression.

2. Gardening relieves stress and anxiety in seniors. 

Besides, studies stated that gardening can lower cortisol levels in your brain. To clarify, cortisol, also known as “the stress hormone”, is necessary for sustaining body functions. So when there’s too much cortisol, your blood pressure and glucose levels may fluctuate. Therefore, mental health benefits of gardening are extensive. Not only can regular gardening reduce mental health problems like depression and anxiety, but it can also reduce stress and blood pressure.

3. Gardening provides a great exercise, improving seniors overall physical fitness. 

Furthermore, while gardening might not seem to be as vigorous a workout as swimming or riding a bike, it is a hearty physical activity. In addition, it’s been proven that even light exercise can help slow down the aging process. Besides, you’ll want to add some light stretching before or after spending time in the flower bed to avoid hand injuries common to gardeners, like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

4. Gardening can improve seniors mood all around. 

In addition, fresh air can do wonders for your mood and your health. So can sunshine. Therefore, the sun’s rays not only cause your body to produce vitamin D, but it also boosts the serotonin levels in your brain. That is to say, serotonin is a chemical that improves your mood and helps you feel calm and centered. So this is a big deal for individuals who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that occurs as the seasons change throughout the year.

5. Gardening may reduce the risk of dementia in seniors. 

Moreover, a study shows that gardening may lower the risk for dementia by as much as 36% percent. Thus, this could be because gardening requires the use of many critical functions, including dexterity and sensory awareness. Therefore, by spending even a short amount of time gardening on a regular basis, seniors can maintain their motor skills and improve their endurance and strength.

In addition, indoor gardening is especially therapeutic for those that were already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. So it provides a sense of purpose to their day and working with nature is a nurturing experience.

6. An indoor garden can make your home more pleasant and beautiful.

Moreover, an indoor garden in full bloom can brighten up your home by bringing the beauty and fragrance of nature inside, so it can be really pleasing to the eyes and nose.

7. An indoor garden can provide all sort of organic food.

Additionally, food gardening can particularly be gratifying and an excellent source of fresh produce.

8. An indoor garden can provide fresh oxygen.

Besides, all these plants from the indoor garden can give off a ton of fresh, clean oxygen. Certainly, plants are one of the best ways to improve air quality. To clarify, they act as natural air filters, removing certain harmful chemicals from the air and providing fresh oxygen in return.

Indoor gardening has other benefices that need to be considered as well, despite of being be a fun, stress-free hobby.

On a previous post I talked about the benefits of having an indoor garden. But if you still have your doubts about being capable to start – and most importantly maintain – one, I have some good news for you: with all these indoor garden kits available nowadays, it has never been so easy!

Alright, so there are tons of garden kits for beginners that are extremely easy to use. Garden kits are basically pre-packaged with everything you need to get growing your garden right away.

The list below has my top 5 Indoor Garden kits for beginners that anyone – and I mean anyone – could try and be a successful gardener.

Great Indoor Garden Kits for Beginners that Makes Gardening Super Easy

Now that we’ve talked about the benefits of having an indoor garden, it’s time to choose the one the best fits your needs. So if you still have your doubts about being capable to start – and most importantly maintain – one, I have some good news for you: with all these indoor garden kits available nowadays, it has never been so easy!

Alright, so there are tons of garden kits for beginners that are extremely easy to use. Garden kits are basically pre-packaged with everything you need to get growing your garden right away.

The list below has my top 5 Indoor Garden kits for beginners that anyone – and I mean anyone – could try and be a successful gardener.

1. The Smart Garden 3 by Click and Grow

The Smart Garden 3 was considered the best indoor herb garden for low-maintenance growth by Business Insider and it was also considered one of the best kits for herbs by New York Magazine.

What is it: The Smart Garden 3 solves the 2 common issues of growing plants indoor, it provides both sun and water required for them to grow easily. It’s basically a self-watering planter with a built-in grow light, featuring ‘NASA-inspired smart soil’ technology,  that includes all the nutrients the seeds need to flourish while also encouraging beneficial microbes and border cells (similar to how plants grow in regular soil). This little counter-top herb garden is an easy entry-level product  that makes any senior be a successful gardener by using it.

How does it work: You can set this kit up in just seconds – just drop the plant cartridges into the container, fill the water reservoir, plug the unit in to switch the lights on, and you’re done. You can then watch your specimens grow from seeds. With the device smart system, the special plant pods gradually release nutrients to your plants, so there’s no worry about forgetting to add a nutrient solution into the soil. The watering system works through capillary action, so it’s completely silent and keeps the soil appropriately moistened. Furthermore, having energy efficient LED lighting means you don’t have to rely on window light to grow your plants.

Pros: 

• Easy to use: Hassle free installation & maintenance. Just drop the plant cartridges right into the container, refill the water reservoir, plug the device in, and you are good to go;
• Low maintenance: Plug-and-play. All you need to do is just add water;
• Smart soil technology: The soil uses patented nano-tech growth medium that accelerates the plant growth without jeopardizing quality; Short grow time with herbs ready for harvest in 2 to 3 weeks; besides, low energy use with just 6-watt LEDs.
• This kit includes: pre-seeded basil capsules, but you can grow countless herbs with Click and Grow’s variety of plant pods. You can choose from over 40 fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, cilantro) and fruits (strawberries or any other berry) to grow pesticide free. Besides, none of the Click and Grow plant pods use any GMO seeds or herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides.
• Great design: Rectangular container is counter-top friendly. According to a reviewer says the space taken by the device on the counter is “comparable to a loaf of bread”.

Cons:

• The LED lights have fixed height, that means that they can’t be adjusted.
• It grows only  three plants at a time (there is also a larger option, with space for nine plants)
• Pod-based technology means you’ll be paying $19.95 for three soil pods as opposed to $2 to $3 for a pack of seeds.

Click here for more details on Amazon.

2. AeroGarden Sprout LED With Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit

The AeroGarden is considered  the best indoor herb garden overall by Business Insider and it’s one of the best garden kits for herbs by New York Magazine.

What is it: The AeroGarden is easy to use and lets you grow herbs even if you have limited window space or sunlight in your home. The 20-watt LED lighting system helps to maximize photosynthesis, giving plants the light they need to grow naturally and quickly. In addition, the control panel is simple to understand and will automatically turn the lights on and off for you, making maintaining your garden nearly hands-free. Plus, the system even reminds you when to add the nutrients (included with this kit) and when it’s time to add more water. It comes with Genovese basil, curly parsley, and dill-seed pods, with other herbs and vegetables sold separately.

How does is work: Because plants grow in water with this hydroponic system, this is a low-mess option that doesn’t require potting soil. There’s also no transplanting or potting to worry about. So, the kit includes six gourmet herbs in soil-free pods to start a garden: Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, mint, thyme, and Thai basil.

Pros: 

• Easy to use: Control panel that automatically turns lights on and off and reminds you when to add nutrients.
• Low-maintenance: System reminds you when care is needed.
• Hydroponic System technology: Advanced hydroponics made simple. That means that plants grow in water, not soil. Besides, it has high-performance with a full spectrum 10-watt LED lighting system that is tuned to specific needs. This allows plants to maximize photosynthesis, resulting in rapid, natural growth and abundant harvests.
• This kit includes: Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, and Dill & 3 oz. patented nutrients (enough for a full season of growth)
• Great design: Slim design is perfect for small counters and desks

Cons: 

• The LED lights are bright so don’t locate the kit in a bedroom.
• It grows only  three plants at a time.
• Note: Although AeroGarden no longer makes this particular unit, it’s still for sale on Amazon. The herb pots are still in production.

Click here for more details on the Back to the Roots official site or on Amazon.

What is a Hydroponic System?

Hydroponics is the term used when growing plants in water. This efficient technique allows you to grow your vegetables without the hassle of messy soil. It is generally much faster than soil based methods because it delivers nutrients in a form that is easier for a plant to absorb allowing it to spend all it’s energy on generating biomass. In addition, a key advantage to hydroponics is that it uses up to 95% less water than conventional methods. 

3. Back to the Roots Water Garden

The Back to the Roots Water Garden is considered one of the best garden kits for microgreens by New York Magazine.

What is it: This self-cleaning 3 gallon fish tank – garden hybrid comes with a three-month supply of microgreens and wheatgrass. It includes everything you need to get started: 3 gallon, shatter-resistant fish tank, gravel, organic seeds, Grow stones, natural d-chlorinator. Moreover, this closed-looped ecosystem is powered by aquaponics the combination of aquaculture, or fish farming, with hydroponics, or growing plants in nutrient-rich water

How does it work: This kit is more straightforward: It has a single Beta fish that provides nutrients for your plants in a fish-fertilizing, self-cleaning system.

Pros:

• Multi-Use and easy to set up: It’s a garden, a fish tank, and a beautiful addition to your home décor. 
• Aquaponic System technology: You grow your plants in nutrient rich water, without making a mess with soil.
• This kit includes: Everything you need to start your water garden. It contains organic seeds, growstones, natural fertilizer, a coupon for a betta fish, fish food and a silent water pump.
• Great design: nice design for both an aquarium and a garden.

Cons:

• Although the idea of this sounds great, it’s not that functional.
• Not as easy to maintain: Many reviewers complain that it’s a hassle to clean. The aquarium water must be cleaned from time to time and replenished just like any other aquarium, but the “farm” pots and air tube make accessing the fish’s water extra messy.
• Several fishes have died due to issues on the filter pump, according to many reviewers.

Click here for more details on Amazon.

What is an aquaponic Water Garden?

Aquaponic is a closed-looped ecosystem powered by aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants in nutrient rich water). How the cycle works: fish that releases nutrient-rich waste into the water, the plants eat the nutrients as food at the same time filtering the water to go back down to your fish.

4. Modern Sprout Garden Jar Set of 3

The Modern Sprout Garden Jar is on Oprah’s Favorite Things 2015: Self-Watering Planters Make It Easy-To-Grow Herbs Year Round.

What is it: This grow house is great for growing basil, mint, rosemary, parsley, arugula, and watercress; It’s also got a fancy “tranquil fading” feature when the light transitions on or off, to mimic the effect of dawn or dusk. It includes: Organic Basil, Organic Parsley and Non-GMO Mint Seeds, Plant Food, Grow Medium and More.

How does it work: Each mason jar is outfitted with a passive hydroponic system known as wicking, which brings water up to the plant’s roots. Because plants grow in water with this hydroponic system, this is a low-mess option that doesn’t require potting soil. There’s also no transplanting or potting to worry about. You can grow your plants indoors on a sunny windowsill.

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Low maintenance: Because it’s a self watering planter, you will never forget to water your plants again.
• Hydroponic System technology: Advanced hydroponics made simple. Meaning that plants grow in water, not soil.
• Nice design: easily sits out of the way.
• The kit Includes: three self-watering herb kits (Organic Basil, Organic Parsley, and Non-GMO Mint Seeds), Quart Size Blue, Green & Pink Mason Jars, Stainless Steel Net Pot, Recycled glass Growing Medium and Coco Pith, Polypro Wick, Plant Nutrient Food , and Simple Growing Instructions.

Cons:

• Good idea but not very efficient.
• Several reviewers pointed out that all that grew was mold.
• Some other reviews said seeds were out dated and didn’t grow or they didn’t grew more than 1inch.
• Very time consuming to monitor.

Click here for more details on Amazon.

5. SunBlaster Mini Greenhouse Kit with NanoDome

What is it: The kit comes with a high quality 10”x20” tray, 7″ vented NanoDome (humidity dome) and a SunBlaster 18″ T5HO 6400K lighting kit (high-output fluorescent grow light with a reflector that mounts directly onto the dome).

How does it work: Considered by reviewers a “mini greenhouse propagator”. So this kit is all about the convenience of having a fitted light over the dome with a very convenient and unique design.

Pros:

• Easy to use:  kit includes everything you need to start flower or vegetable seedlings, propagate fresh cuttings, or grow fresh herbs right in your kitchen all year long.
• Design: with a unique H pattern which enables you to lay your lighting across a single dome or multiple domes
• Lights: Light is high output (for it’s small size and 17watts) and the reflector really does seem to work well. They are also daisy-chainable up to 7.
• Dome: Vents for humidity control are a good addition.

Cons:

• Issues with the lights are constant on the reviews. Some reviewers pointed out that the light is not led, instead, it’s a cheap fluorescent bulb that may be too weak for the purpose. Besides, it’s arguably not enough light for herbs or serious growth. Also, the lights are fixed, that means that they can’t be adjusted.

Related Questions:

Which plants to choose to start an indoor garden for seniors?

One of the simplest ways to start is by planting a bulb. They flower fairly quickly and make a perfect complement to dark, dreary, winter days.

Edible gardens are also a great indoor option as they are easy to grow and then enjoyed when added to a meal.

Cacti make wonderful houseplants as well as they do not require much care and live for a long time.

10 plants very easy to grow indoor:

• Pothos
• Aloe
• Spider Plant
• English Ivy
• Jade plant
• Rubber Tree
• Piece Lily
• Snake plant
• Ficus
• Areca Palm

10 edible plants to grow indoor:

• Basil
• Rosemary
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Chilies
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• String Beans
• Lettuce
• Spinach

10 plants for cleaning indoor air:

• English Ivy
• Bamboo Palm
• Chinese Evergreen
• Gerbera Daisy
• Dragon Tree
• Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
• Pot Mum
• Peace Lily
• Spider Plant
• Mass Cane/Corn Plant

What do I need to start an indoor garden?

• A sunny, south-facing window or a grow light.
• A shallow container with drainage holes.
• An organic potting soil.
• Some seeds.
• Mister or watering can.

To sum up, starting an indoor garden is as simples as this and with all these benefits… then what are you waiting for?

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