Levis - Countertop Gardens: Easily Grow Kitchen Edibles Indoors for Year-Round Enjoyment

Tumbler and cherry tomatoes are perfect for indoor growing.

The countertop devices available today might very well have put me out of a job. The innovative products designed for countertop gardening are changing how we grow and what we can grow indoors.

My path to countertop gardening started many years ago when I was in my mid-20s. I desperately wanted a garden in a small two-bedroom apartment that had a tiny balcony just big enough to fit a potted plant and folding metal chair. Desperation led to inspiration, and I began growing indoors. Since then, I have learned from my many failures: Ive learned what methods lead to success and which plants are just simply better off grown outdoors. No amount of sweet talk is going to change that fact.

Back when I first started gardening indoors, the kinds of equipment and growing devices available today just didnt exist. Makeshift methods and barely tolerable dcor adjustments were necessary if you were that bent on growing your own food indoors, as I was. Fortunately, my husband is extremely supportive of all my crazy ideas. His willingness to share office space with my grow operations of mesclun greens and lettuces was rewarded with many delicious meals.

As my passion for gardening grew, a desire to learn more led me to pursue a formal education in horticulture. I began my own business as a garden designer and took on jobs that centered around specialty and small space garden design.

Several of my clients were chefs seeking epicurean gardens at both their private residences as well as their restaurants. Growing methods had to accommodate ease of use in very limited space and provide fresh herbs, salad greens, and unique ingredients that were not readily available.

The countertop devices available today might very well have put me out of a job. The innovative products designed for countertop gardening are changing how we grow and what we can grow indoors. These devices allow professional chefs and foodies alike to grow ingredients right at their fingertips with very little gardening experience.

After several years of designing gardens, I felt it was time to share my experiences, and the blog Sow & Dipity was born. In addition to my writing, I currently hold a position as a retail garden center manager.

It should be no surprise that I oversee several departments, including seeding, edibles, and indoor gardening. The advantage of working in a garden center is that I get to keep a pulse on the latest products and interact with consumers seeking specific advice on their indoor growing needs.

In that environment, where things grow from floor to ceiling and youre constantly surrounded by organic bliss, no judgment takes place when you first meet someone. I know people by what they grow, not by what they do. Novices are treated like new recruits to the club, and sages are admired for their wisdom. Ive had conversations about tomatoes with bearded bikers and shared lavender recipes with a police officer. No matter what a person does in their other life, we have something in common the moment they walk in the door.

Many of our discussions relate to growing indoors and having to deal with a lack of space. Add to this peoples busy schedules and their desire for simplicity, and growing solutions need to fit their budgets and lifestyles.

These days, the sheer busy nature of my lifethe speaking and writing and other demandshas overtaken the actual activity of gardening itself. And for this reason, having small manageable grows has become important to me, as well. With several small indoor spots of countertop greenery, I can still get my garden fix on these days when Im necessarily focused on building my personal brand. My guess is that there are many of you out there who would like to do the same. And thats the reason for the book you are now reading.

Specialty foods like heirloom carrots are not expensive when you grow them yourself. Shutterstock

Growing your own food isnt easyif youre after simple, you go to a grocery store. But gardening fulfills more than just our stomachs. It is our birthright to feed ourselves with the effort of our own hands. Personally, I think such a skill is far more important than a dozen or so useless things we learn in school. Shouldnt growing and cultivating our own food be a mandatory subject? Why isnt the very act of self-sustainability not included in our schools curriculums?