The smart indoor garden market was evaluated at USD 133.9 million in 2023. With the rapid growth and popularity of this gardening type, especially among the urban population, it is projected to reach 246.2 million by 2030.
Smart indoor gardens help you grow food crops and ornamental plants throughout the year, even if you don’t have the ideal natural environment or space for them.
A significant component of a thriving smart indoor garden is LED lighting technology. It ensures optimal growth while saving energy. So, if you’ve made up your mind to build your first smart indoor garden with LED lights, here’s all the design plan you need!
1. Select the best location for an indoor garden
Most people build their indoor garden in the home. However, if you don’t have enough space at home, build a garden shed in your yard for the indoor garden.
It’s the ultimate way to maintain an organized indoor garden while keeping the dust and clutter away from your living space!
This offers extra space to store supplies like soil, pots, fertilizers, tools, and plant care materials, which usually can’t be kept indoors. You can also create a dedicated space to store extra or backup LED lighting equipment.
Here are a few considerations while building the garden shed:
- Make sure it’s big enough to offer ample space for plant growth.
- All LED lighting and smart gardening equipment need power. So, install several outlets throughout the shed.
- If you plan to get temperature-sensitive plants, install climate control and insulation systems, such as an air conditioner, heater, and ventilation.
- Build a separate zone for potting, pruning, and other plant care steps. This prevents creating a mess around your indoor garden.
- Install enough windows and skylights to let in natural light.
2. Choose the right plants
Not all plants are compatible with indoor gardening. So, research well to pick the right ones that can thrive in a closed space under LED lighting. Some popular options are:
- Leafy green plants, like spinach, lettuce, kale
- Herbs like mint, rosemary, basil, thyme
- Flowering plants, like African violets, orchids
- Succulents
3. Design the garden layout
Next, consider the layout of your shed garden. Prioritize both functionality and aesthetics to make the most out of this project. Some ideas are:
- If there’s limited space in the shed, try out vertical gardens and stack all plants vertically.
- Install stands, shelves, and hanging fixtures to ensure every plant gets enough space and light.
- Experiment with smart modular indoor garden kits. You can expand them as required and grow more plants.
- Try soilless gardening systems (hydroponics) to fit more plants in limited space.
4. Know the basics and set up the LED lights
Before you get LED lights, learn the functionality of each light and choose one suitable for you.
For starters, there are three primary LED light spectrums. Red light is for flowering and fruit-growing plants. Blue light helps in leaf growth and plant development.
Full spectrum LED lights simulate sunlight and offer adequate light of all wavelengths. This is useful throughout plant growth stages. Decide which plants you want and the exact lighting needs, and choose wisely.
Once you’ve built and prepared the shed, it’s time to set up the lights. A few tips are:
- Position the lights around 12 inches away/above the plants if it’s high intensity. You can place low-intensity ones 6 inches away.
- Get multiple lights or those with adjustable fixtures for tall plants.
- Most plants need 6-12 hours of light every day and darkness for the remaining time. Get lights with timers to auto-regulate light duration. Thus, you won’t have to switch the lights on and off manually.
5. Get the right smart technology
Equip your indoor garden with smart technology and automate most of the gardening steps. Whether you’re a pro or a novice gardener, this will make gardening more efficient and enjoyable. Some technology suggestions are:
- Smart sensors: They monitor air and soil humidity levels, temperature, and soil pH levels and adjust the conditions as required. Some models also offer probably plant health updates based on the readings.
- Automated water systems or smart irrigation systems: These systems send adequate amounts of water for plants at chosen intervals or when sensors notice a drop in moisture levels.
These technologies are usually controlled remotely using apps.
Conclusion
After designing and setting up your smart indoor garden, don’t forget to monitor the garden regularly. Trim the plants often to ensure optimal growth and check LED light and other technology performance. With regular care, you’ll grow the most fabulous indoor garden ever!