Pumpkin Spice Your Space with Homegrown Fall Scents with Tips from Associa

Fall is here, which means it’s time to prepare for brisk weather and changing leaves. It’s also time to enjoy pumpkin spice lattes, apple cider and the other delicious flavors we associate with fall. And these wonderful reminders of the season are only one step away when you grow seasonal spices right on your kitchen counter top.

You don’t need a yard to cultivate a garden — you can have it all indoors.

To “pumpkin spice” your home, all you need to do is pick your favorite fall-scented plants, find a space and choose your growing medium; soil, coco coir, sand, gravel or water.

Almost any plant can be grown indoors, as long as the growing environment is suited to the plant’s needs. And you’re not limited to herbs that love cold weather. Common herbs such as dill, parsley and rosemary thrive under grow lights and can provide flavorful flair all year long.

Starting an indoor fall herb garden is simple. Maintaining a healthy growing environment is the key to success.  Read these tips from Associa and Sunlight Supply to get started.

Five Steps to Indoor Gardening Success

1. Let there be light. The type of lighting needed in any indoor gardening system depends on the type of plants you want to grow. Large fruiting and flowering plants need more intense light compared to herbs. 

2. Don’t let it dry out. A clean source of water is required to grow indoors. For the best results, regularly monitor and test water and soil pH levels.

3. Get settled. Regulating indoor factors including heat, humidity and CO2 keeps plants alive. CO2 that plants use during photosynthesis is important so exhaust fans and air filtration systems are critical.

4. Feed and repeat. Plants grown indoors will need an extra boost of fertilizer since most of the nutrients in the soil or growing medium are quickly eaten by the roots. Choose organic if you’re growing something you will eat.

5. Get to the root of it. A healthy root zone is the key to strong plants. Well-draining soil or soil-less mix allows oxygen to flow through. When combined with air pumps, stones and diffusers, your system will be complete.

Now you’re ready to grow! Bring the pumpkin spice craze to your kitchen counter-top by simmering these combinations in a crock-pot or on the stove. Just add water.

Homemade Simmer-Pot Recipes

• Sliced oranges, cranberries, cloves and cinnamon

• Apple peels, cinnamon and nutmeg

• Lavender, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon

• Lemon, rosemary and vanilla

Indoor gardening allows you to enjoy the cozy smell of fall indoors. For more tips on how to start your own hydroponic garden, visit sunlightsupply.com.