Indoor Salad Box

One of the worst things about winter is not being able to garden.  It is a long four months of nothing to do but dream of spring for many of us.  Fortunately it doesn't have to be that way.  I have started an experiment to see how long I can grow fresh salad for myself indoors.  I decided that my grow lights that I use to start seeds in the spring can be put to good use through the winter as well.  I also had a couple of small rubbermaid bins that I converted into indoor garden space by drilling holes in the bottom and filling them with potting soil.  Turns out that they are a good depth for a small lettuce and carrot patch.

This is a box that I started a couple of months ago.  There are eight romaine lettuce plants and two rows of carrots down the middle of this box.  I have been harvesting the lettuce one leaf at a time for a couple of weeks now and can cut leaves two to three times a week for a salad of unparalleled freshness.  The carrots still have a ways to go before I can pick them.  I hope to start a second box in a month or so to help extend my salad harvest.  I have also started a handful of carrot seeds in a couple of old paper milk cartons.  I hope to be eating fresh carrots and lettuce from these boxes all winter long.  

The best part of this whole experiment is that I will be getting fresh salad on a regular basis and it cost me next to nothing.  The only things I paid for was the potting soil and the packets of seed, which probably cost less than one salad at a nice restaurant.  Not too bad!  Not to mention that I upcycled the rubbermaid bin and reduced some garbage by reusing the milk cartons.  A win win if you ask me!