I've heard a lot lately about food dye and preservative allergies, and I have a good deal of indoor growing equipment so I thought it might be a good idea to give growing some of my own food a shot. I don't have the space outside, nor the climate needed to grow enough to live off of, however I do have hydroponics equipment and high-end grow lights... So I'm wondering what sort of plants I could grow in confined spaces (basically anything that isn't a tree) that provide good nutritional value. Botany is my passion so I don't care how finicky the plant is, yield and nutrition are my main concerns. Potatoes take up too much room in the ground, and so do carrots so they are ruled out. (They would crack my net pots) My list so far is this: -Tomatoes (even though I rather hate them) -Musa Banana (A very small banana tree apparently) -Pineapple Guava -Garlic -Lettuce of some sort, maybe dandelions and other edible weeds as greens. -A variety of chili peppers Anyone have suggestions? It would be ideal if I could grow enough variety to actually live off of it, even though that may be a bit ambitious (Grow big or go home, right?).
Food dye and preservatives are a main concern in processed foods. Some fruits, mainly oranges, have been injected with red dye to make an unripe fruit look edible and cucumbers are usually waxed simply to make them 'pretty' to the consumer. Find a local affordable organic market where that won't be a concern. What is your average high temperature during the summer? How long is your growing season? Do you have space outside for containers? Are you hoping to grow all the veggies and fruits your family will eat each year? You should make a list of the veggies your family will eat, find out how many pounds of each a family of your size will require for a year...I think you will find that growing them indoors will require a lot more room than you have available and increase your electric bill considerably. If you have a large greenhouse you might be able to come closer to feeding your family. Many veggies can be grown in pots outside during the summer, then what you don't eat during the season can be frozen, canned or dried for eating during the winter. Potatoes will grow just fine outside in the summer in large tubs or plastic trash bags, they really do not need to be grown in long rows. Carrots can be grown in deep raised beds or other deep containers. Make successive plantings so there will be some ripening/ready to pick while others are still coming along during the whole growing season. Many veggies grow better in cooler temps...beets, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, radish, brussel sprouts and many others do not depend on hot weather, but in fact will die out when temps get too warm. Lettuces of all varieties are usually a cool season crop but weeds and Dandelions require hot weather. Tropical plants like Banana and Guava require much warmer temps and can cost a considerable amount of money keeping your home warm enough for them. Basically what I am suggesting is that you determine what plants you can grow successfully in each season, grow a lot of them in the required season and preserve them for year round eating. If you don't have the room outside to grow enough to provide nutritious food then you probably don't have enough room inside either considering the wide range of light and temperature requirements that need to be met to provide adequate food for a whole year. It will probably take a year of planning, planting, harvesting and preserving to get a good selection of veggies and fruits on hand at all times.
Hydroponic grown veggies can be done. In doors and under grow lights can be done. Growing enough to make a substantial part of your diet with anything less than a wealthy mans budget can not be done. Perhaps it would be more affordable to move to where you can garden the old fashioned way? Or, use community garden space?
Very true. I grow hydroponically and lettuce is the biggy. We NEVER need to buy lettuce. It is convenient and MUCH better tasting, and it does pay for itself. For anything requiring a flowering cycle (most fruit producing veggies), you will need red spectrum lights and much more power / throw ability. I cannot make the numbers work to where it is economical. It could be an expensive hobby if you wanted to make it that way, but I am not interested in $10 tomatoes regardless of taste. Cost outlay for my hydro endeavor is on my blog. The lights pull double duty for my starts in spring, so $$$ savings to begin with. Hope that helps and best of sucess!
