Indoor or container gardening is a great alternative to traditional growing practices for those living in a cooler climate. Moreover, individuals who lack space outside can also find great success growing fruits, vegetables and herbs indoors using containers. Keeping plants watered while they grow is the most difficult aspect of a successful indoor garden.

When growing outdoors, the soil holds water naturally and the dew adds to the plant’s water intake. However, indoors, all water is given by the gardener, and knowing when to feed your plants can become confusing.

In addition to understanding when to water plants, giving them the proper balance of light and carbon dioxide is crucial as well. Some plants prefer full sun while others can only handle limited amounts of sun. In addition, indoors, plants are not exposed to large amounts of carbon dioxide. Therefore, individuals must open windows and let in the outside air on occasion to keep their plants healthy.

The following are eight of the best vegetables, herbs and fruits for your indoor garden.

Basil

Gardeners can grow basil annually or as a short-lived perennial. Genovese basil has great flavor and comes complete with a classic aroma. Spicy Globe basil is perfect for smaller spaces as it only grows from 8 to 10 inches tall.

Chives

A chive is a grass like perennial herb with a slight onion flavor. Grolau chives are perfect for windowsill growing and are prolific producers. Garlic chives contain a mild garlic taste making them perfect additions to Italian dishes. To keep the plants healthy, gardeners should cut the leaves back to soil level after harvesting to produce new growth.

Mint

There are various types of mint that are grown indoors. The most common are peppermint and spearmint, and they both grow well in containers. However, mint should have its own container as it will overtake other herbs if forced to share a pot.

Sage

Sage is an herb perfect for container gardening. The dwarf sage will remain around 12 inches tall, and the Berggarten is a compact low-growing but vigorous type of sage. Dwarf garden sage still yields bold flavor but only grows up to 10 inches.

Lettuce

There are many types of lettuce to choose from that all grow well indoors and most types are ready to eat just a short 25 days after planting. Lettuce grows best in a long flat container and requires adequate space in between plants. It is important to not over plant lettuce as it does not freeze. Therefore, gardeners should only plant what they can use immediately.

Beans

Beans are another vegetable perfect for growing indoors. Beans grown on a vine, so it is best set a pot of beans aside a shelf, and allow the beans to grow up the shelf. Gardeners should pick beans when they are ready and not let them sit too long.

Apricots

Compact apricots are perfect for an indoor garden. They do extremely well in pots when set against a sunny conservatory wall. However, gardeners have to help with the pollination process when the fruit is indoors. This is accomplished by using a paintbrush and transferring pollen from one flower to another ensuring they all pollinate well.

Cape gooseberries

This fruit does well in a large pot of at least 1 foot. They produce bushy pot plants with small white flowers bearing red of yellow fruit. Direct sun is best for gooseberries, so placing them near a window is ideal.

About the author

Alex is a writer, husband, father and aspiring urban fantasy novelist. When he isn’t writing for HomeDaddys or completing chores from his “honey- do” list, he’s most likely spending quality time with his wife and kids or working on his novel.

When you’re shopping for Mom for Mother’s Day this year, pick out something that not only does she not have, but something she may not even know exists. The best kitchen gadgets bring appeal to the room and are both useful and fun. People who love to cook and bake are always looking for that new toy to bring more to their kitchen experience.

Wonder Heart Waffle Maker

Does your mom have a big heart? She’ll appreciate the love that goes into choosing the Wonder Heart Waffle Maker. Set it up for her beside online flowers from FTD.com for a double “awww” moment. Plus, she’ll get to show a little love herself every time she makes these fun heart-shaped waffles. The non-stick baking plates make three waffles at a time and are simple to clean. For people who aren’t prone to sentiment, heart-shaped waffles may seem a little contrived, but mushy Moms will love this product. It’s available for $24 on the C Wonder website.

Takeya Fruit-Infused Water Maker

If Mom is looking to drink more healthy beverages, fruit-infused water can help her stay hydrated while also enjoying natural fruit flavor. The Takeya Fruit-Infused Water Maker features an airtight lid that seals in flavor. Its modern, stylish design makes it an attractive piece for the table. To create the fruit-infused water, add chopped fresh fruit and let it infuse for at least three hours or overnight. The water maker is durable, made of high-temperature acrylic and is available on the company website and online retailers, including Amazon.

Schiuma Milk Frother

If your mom loves spending time in coffee shops, the Schiuma Milk Frother can give her a coffee-shop feeling at home by adding freshly frothed milk to her favorite coffee beverages. It’s simple to operate: just dip into milk, push the power button and froth until the foam reaches desired thickness. It works with both hot and cold milk and is available on Schiuma’s website and at leading retailers. Five color choices make the Schiuma Milk Frother fit in well with most kitchens. You can buy it in black, silver, red, purple and lime green. The frother retails for $15.

Pandigital 15″ Kitchen Technology Center

If you’re looking to spend more money on Mom for Mother’s Day, a tech-savvy mom will find myriad uses for the Pandigital 15″ Kitchen Technology Center. The KTC packs the features of several devices into one, featuring an HDTV receiver, electronic recipe collection and digital photo storage, along with an Internet connectivity. It has a 15.6-inch HD screen and comes with three faceplates to choose from to match the colors of your Mom’s kitchen. Up to 2,400 digital images can be stored and displayed as single images or slide shows. This is a good choice for the Mom who enjoys working in the kitchen but likes to wander in and out to go on the Internet or watch TV. Pandigital products are available at leading online and offline retailers for about $299.

Hutzler Banana Slicer

Does your mom have a good sense of humor? She may appreciate the Hutzler Banana Slicer, a plastic banana-shaped cutter that slices a whole banana with one push. This product has sparked thousands of joke reviews on Amazon.com, where the slicer has become a cult favorite among reviewers. It may be a little silly since it’s pretty easy to cut up a banana with a knife, but it’s a fun conversation piece, and it does what it says it does: cut a banana. Plus, it’s cheap: $3.59 on Amazon.

Whatever you buy your mother, she’ll probably love it, because it’s from you.

4 cost-effective kitchen facelifts you can do on a dime!

I’ve been dreaming of a new kitchen for the past 5-years. After all, it’s the room I probably spend the majority of my time in. I started working from home about 6 years ago so I could be home and there for my kids when they got home from school. So, understandably, I spend quite a bit of time, working, preparing meals, entertaining guests, tutoring my kids, and just unwinding with a cup of tea in my kitchen. I figured it was about time to spend some money and attention on this lackluster room.

However, once I started adding up all the sleek, stainless steel appliances, delicately tiled back splashes, heated cork flooring, and new kitchen counter top and cabinetry—my husband and my financial adviser told me to hold the phone! I was going to have to set a budget if I wanted my dream kitchen—and still wanted to send my kids to college. So I made a compromise to do most of the work myself, and frugally as possible by focusing my DIY renovations on the important stuff—fresh paint, upgraded cabinets, new energy efficient appliances, and a few extras.

Here is this frugal mom’s DIY guide to a dream kitchen on a dime.

1. A fresh coat of paint

The walls make up the canvas and set the atmosphere of any room. So if your kitchen is dingy beige like mine was (with the added dents and grease slashes) no wonder it doesn’t invigorate you. So give that “tired and boring” kitchen a renewed sense of creativity by buying a few cans of inexpensive paint to refresh the kitchen canvas. I was pleasantly surprised by the result, which really cost very little time and effort! It just goes to show how a few cans of semi-gloss paint were really inexpensive, and now I can wash the walls to keep it clean from kids’ grimy hands and cooking splats.

2. The cost-savings of energy efficient appliances

A long term investment in your kitchen can be easily obtained by updating your old energy-sucking appliances. I know that new appliances can be pricy up front, but think of the long term financial gains. Swapping the electricity vampire of an oven, fridge, water purification system, or dishwasher with energy efficient models will drastically cut down your monthly utility bills.

3. Consider what’s underfoot

One of the first things I wanted to replace in my outdated kitchen was the floors. However, expensive cork or bamboo flooring wasn’t within my budget—in fact neither was ceramic tile at approximately $2 a square foot. Instead I settled on a vinyl tile flooring that so closely mimicked a ceramic tile that my friends and family can’t even tell the difference.

4. Reface those kitchen cabinets

Replacing all of the kitchen cabinets was also not an option that my family could afford. So instead, I decided to replace just the kitchen cabinet doors. I thought about like this: no one inspects the sides of your cabinets so they don’t see those scratches and dents, they only see the fronts. This way I pick a matching wood stain and replace the fronts, then, once I save, I can order the sides and tops. Talk about the most inexpensive way to give your kitchen cabinets and update!

About The Author

Tina Jacobs is a registered nurse and DIY home improvement maven who has written and blogger for DIY Mother as well as numerous print and online publications ranging in topics from education to health and from home renovations to interior decorating.

The kitchen is a multipurpose space in our home dedicated to cooking, eating, entertaining and socializing. Since the kitchen is where we spend plenty of our favorite pastimes, its design should be not only be functional, but warm and inviting. If you’ve outgrown the look of your kitchen, small DIY upgrades and stylish renovations can significantly improve how you function in this space.

Lighting Replacements

Install new pendant light fixtures above your kitchen table and island. Pendant light fixtures are available in a wide range of of traditional and contemporary styles. Choose from extensive diverse options such as the colorful Pharos Modern Pendant Light (Niche Modern), unique Hand-blown Oculu Design Pendant Lamps (Niche Modern), charming Vintage Canning Jay Chandelier (LampGoods) and classic Bronze Funnel Pendant Light (Home Depot).

Rustic Accents

Home remodeling and design experts at Houzz.com suggest integrating rustic elements to create a warmer ambiance. Install custom wooden blinds for a distinctive and country home appearance. Distressed hardwood flooring will also create the organic feel of a farmhouse; laminate and vinyl hardwood flooring are low-budget options that can still aesthetically mimic the look of real wood. Houzz.com’s ideas include hanging copper pots and pans from a ceiling rack and pairing a kitchen bar or island with antique wooden stools.

Cabinet Refacing or Door Painting

Refacing your cabinetry or painting cabinet doors for a fresh look is a budget-friendly option for revamping your kitchen’s overall appearance. Remodeling the look of your kitchen with contrasting colors or textures can create a dynamic and stunning design. If your kitchen has a warm ambiance, then install dark chocolate natural wood or striking teal cabinet doors to become the aesthetic focal point. Another contrasting design idea is to paint the top and bottom halves of your kitchen two opposing colors. Mix beige with a dark blue-gray hue, white with a scarlet red, citrus with grapefruit pink or turquoise with sunshine yellow.

New Accessories

Upgraded kitchen accessories and tools can instantly change your kitchen’s appearance. Whether you hang organizational boards and racks on the wall to eliminate counter top clutter or swap out old hardware with stylish new handles and knobs, your kitchen will look fresh and made over.

• Crate & Barrel Stackable Glass Storage Jars, Heritage Hill Glass Jars with Lids and Stainless Steel Clip Canisters are decorative storage solutions. Fill jars and canisters with spices, sugar, flour, pasta, candy, snacks or even wine corks to display on countertops.
• Bowls and vases make eye-catching statement pieces. Place Pottery Barn vases in different shapes and sizes in kitchen corners and nooks. Accent vases with flowers, grass, wax fruit or themed ornaments such as seashells, acorns, holly or leaves.
• Chalk board paint will not only add character but also function for your kitchen. Paint the doors of a couple cabinets or your freezer and refrigerator doors. Adorn your chalk board with a running list of groceries or inspirational quotes. Children will also love to use the new surface as a playful canvas for drawing.

Other fun kitchen accessories include a Williams-Sonoma Tuscany cookbook holder, Kamenstein Revolving Space Rack with 16 Filled Jars and a Chateau-Thierry or 1940s Garment Shop Clock from Restoration Hardware.

The range cooker could very well be the last cooker you ever buy. Simply put, they are sturdy, flexible, built to last and can pretty much take care of all the cooking needs for a large family. Obviously, something this amazing doesn’t come cheap. With this kind of investment, it’s important to choose the right style that fits your kitchen. 2013 is right around the corner, which is why you we’re here to talk about a few of the styles and trends you might want to consider when thinking about your new range cooker:

Old school or new wave?

Almost a split decision when it comes to the classic, traditional look or a modern, contemporary style. According to a survey conducted over 4000 installations throughout the previous year, 51% favored a traditional designed range cooker. With the option of classic or modern being an even split. It seems that future kitchen aesthetic trends may be the deciding factor in which range cooker proves more popular in 2013.

Color coded

Previously, black was the most popular range cooker color. However, the trend for 2013 suggests that two emerging styles are going to be the way to go; stainless steel and cream. A traditional cooker in cream contributed almost 40% of range cooker sales in 2010/2011. It proved to be popular with the rustic, farmhouse design crowd. However, it’s emerging that a sleek, modern range cooker will be sought after in a professional steel finish come 2013.

Other colors such as your greens, reds and blues only accounted for around 10% of sales. It doesn’t look as though they will go beyond this within the next 12 months.

Technology

A representative of Britannialiving.co.uk stated that advanced features on range cookers were becoming more popular. The next generation of cooking tech such as induction heating is a trend that is on the rise, although many people still are not aware of its potential in the kitchen.

Sales and marketing director Henneke Duistermaat said: “Though induction cooking has been around for a while, we find that there is still a need to educate consumers on the benefits: safety, energy saving and controllability. We are seeing sales of induction range cookers continue to grow.”

2013 looks set to continue the balance between old styles and new, with emphasis on advancements in technology favouring traditional gas cooking.

Bio: Written on behalf of Britannialiving.co.uk, a leading supplier of premium kitchen appliances, offering a variety of classic and contemporary range cookers and cooker hoods

This is a guest post written by Harry Jennings – a cooking fanatic and regular food blogger.

Cooking at home is without doubt increasing in popularity, with TV chefs rising to stardom and spreading the word of good food. People are being shown how to create exciting dishes at home, and a new breed of wannabe chefs is taking over much of the planet. As we become more adventurous in the kitchen, we develop our skills; and in order to do that we need the right equipment.

In this post we’ve put together a list of our top 5 kitchen utensils that no kitchen should be without. If you don’t own all of these, perhaps it’s time to invest! As a little tip, it’s always a good idea to invest in high quality kitchen equipment, as you really do get what you pay for.

Solid Pots and Pans

If you scrimp and save when it comes to pots and pans, you really can find that the poor quality stuff can make cooking even more of a difficult task. With flimsy pans you’ll find it hard to control the heat, which will often result in you burning your food. Also, you need to make sure that the pans are non-stick, otherwise you’ll have a real task on your hands when it comes to cleaning up!

Quality Knives

Poor quality, blunt knives are every chef’s nightmare. Make sure that you have some good quality blades and that you sharpen them regularly. You should have a variety of different shapes and sizes of knives, as it makes it easier if you have the right knife for the job in hand. For example, slicing bread with a fruit knife is going to cause problems.

Stick Blender

Whether you’re making a soup, a sauce or blitzing your herbs and spices, stick blenders are the ultimate tool. You just have to look at chefs like Jamie Oliver to see how often you can use a blender to make the fiddly chopping jobs a breeze.

A Good Mixer

Anyone who tries their hand at baking needs a good quality standing kitchen mixer. Forget putting in all that extra elbow grease to get the perfect mixture, let the electric mixer do the hard work for you. You can get some really stylish models now, such as the Kitchenaid Mixer, which can actually make a great touch to any kitchen.

Pestle and Mortar

A Pestle and mortar is by far the best way to combine different herbs and spices. With a pestle and mortar you can infuse the flavours of the ingredients that your working with, and they’re a great tool for creating tasty dressings.

Five Tips for Making Cooking Much More Enjoyable

The following is a guest post from Rachel Barnard

The kitchen is one of the most used areas in your home.   In fact, it probably sees more traffic, spills, people, celebrations, and disorganization then any other room in your home. However, if your kitchen is really disorganized, chances are you can’t find anything, cooking and meal prep is an absolute nightmare, and your time there is very stressful.

Don’t fret! It’s not difficult to get your kitchen organized and uncluttered. Simply use the following effective tools for keeping your kitchen organized…

1. De-clutter the mess

Sometimes it’s best to start with a clean canvas. In the case of a messy, disorganized kitchen, I recommend pulling all of your kitchen items out of each cabinet and drawer to see what you have, what you use, what you need, and what you can get rid of. So that means getting rid of all the plastic containers with no lids, duplicate items, broken items, or things you forgot you had and never use. As you’re doing this be ruthless and take no prisoners.

2. Make kitchen essentials easy-to-reach

As someone who uses a lot of spices to cook, it makes sense for me to put the things I use often—things like ground pepper, oil, vinegar, spices, big stir spoons, knives, cutting board, and oven mitts close at hand. Plus, I make sure to put the spices and oven mitts close to the oven—where I’d actually need them. Do this for your own kitchen essentials so they’re easy to get your hands on.

3. Make use of void space

I’m talking about under-cabinet space and empty space over the stove. I even had my husband install shelving along the side of our cabinets so I could use it for spices, and we have under-cabinet pot lighting that I can use for chopping after sundown. You can use this space for all sorts of items—cookbooks, spices, dish towels, oven mitts, etc. And you can hang racks for pots and pans or pegs or hooks to keep utensils, pot holders, mugs, and dish towels where you need them.

4. Divide things up

Your cutlery shouldn’t be thrown willy-nilly in a drawer. Instead, add some order by getting some drawer dividers for your cooking utensil drawers –even my junk drawer has one so it’s not overflowing and junky.

5. Save with style

Lastly, I use a magnetic box that I get a magnetic sorter box to hang on the side of the fridge for coupons, takeout menus, a notepad and pen, and other papers that tend to accumulate on the counter tops. Each type of paper should have its own section in the sorter.

Bio: Rachel Barnard is a self-confessed shopaholic and contributing writer for Style Cynics, a fashion and celebrity gossip site that features the latest buzz and the hottest styles like the great plus size selection of this year’s prom dresses.

Whether you already own a food processor or are considering buying one, I thought this list of my top 7 food processor uses would be helpful.

I know when I was considering buying my first food processor, I often wondered whether or not I would actually use it.  I certainly didn’t want it to become another one of those appliances that gets stuffed into the back of the closet because it never gets used.

Well there really is no need to worry about that with a food processor.  It is an indispensable kitchen tool that can be used for so many things.  And if you don’t believe me – take it from one of the world’s most popular cooks – Rachael Ray!

In Rach’s Summer 2008 issue, a reader asked what the superstar cook’s favorite appliance was.  Rachael answered that her “favorite – and only – appliance is a food processor.  Other than my knife, cutting board and stove, it’s all I need!”  Cool.

So there you have it.  Now on with the list…..

1.  Slicing Fruits & Veggies

Most food processors come with a slicing disc that is attached to the inner stem of the machine.  It sits near the top rather than the bottom of the food processor bowl for a more even slice.  This is perfect for preparing thinly sliced scalloped potatoes or cucumbers for the top of a salad.

2.  Shredding Anything

No longer will you need to spend the extra money to buy pre-shredded cheese at the supermarket.  Save yourself the cash and let the food processor do all the work.  I use the shredding disc to grate cheese, cabbage for coleslaw and potatoes for hash browns.

3.  Kneading Dough

If you love to bake fresh homemade bread, then you will love how easy it is to knead dough with a food processor.  There is no “knead” to flex your muscles when you have a food processor – save that for the gym!

4.  Making Salad Dressings & Sauces

One of my favorite food processor uses is to making delicious homemade dressings, sauces and marinades.  Just keep the sharp blade whizzing as you slowly add in the ingredients you like most.  The possibilities are endless.

5. Crushing Ice

Oh yes!  These little machines and their blades are powerful enough to crush ice in a hurry!  So if you love to sip daiquiris and pina coladas on the patio, then you can count on the food processor to help you out.

6.  Soups & Purees

Who says you need a blender to make purees?  A food processor can do the job equally well.  Whether it is a fruit smoothie or a creamy broccoli and cheese soup, the sharp blades and large capacity bowl of a food processor ( especially the Cuisinart 7 cup food processor ) are just the ticket.

7.  Baby Food

I have talked about this one in a few articles here on the site.  When I was making homemade baby food for my little ones, I started out with a blender.  It worked okay but once I switched over to a food processor, I found it so much easier.  Again, the blades and bowl are perfect for making baby food.

So are you convinced yet that you need to have a food processor in your kitchen? Well if you want to learn a little more about why I think everyone should own one, check out my review of the best food processor for the money!

If you’ve ever made bread at home the old fashioned way, which includes plenty of mixing, kneading and rising, then you may be wondering how to make bread in a bread maker.  I don’t blame you – it is a great way to save yourself some hassle as well as money.

But rather than a great long article explaining how to use a bread maker, I thought I would let an expert show you how instead.  The expert in the video below is one of my all-time favorite Food Network personalities and can most often be seen on the television show Iron Chef.    Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is the fabulous Cat Cora!

She offers some great tips about using a bread maker.  Here are a few worth noting:

• She points out, and I couldn’t agree more, that using the delayed timer on your bread machine is a fantastic idea!  You can add the ingredients in the evening and wake up to freshly baked bread any morning of the week.  Imagine waking up to that aroma.  What a great way to start the day!

• It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations for making bread.   Each model is different and the method for preparing and baking the bread will vary.

• With most models, you should add the wet ingredients to the loaf pan first with the dry ingredients on top.  The yeast is the last thing to be added.  Note:  In the video, Cat Cora adds the yeast herself but some models like the Panasonic Bread Maker that I reviewed, have an automatic yeast addition feature.  It will add the yeast to your bread mixture at the perfect time.

So without further ado, here is a great little video about how to use a bread maker.  Enjoy!

This is one of those kitchen tips that when I first saw it done I thought “That makes so much sense – why didn’t I think of that years ago?”  It is a simple but really efficient way to make grilled cheese sandwiches for a crowd of hungry kids (and one hungry husband too!).

If you have young ones at home then I’m sure you have made your fair share of grilled cheese sandwiches.  I bet I’ve made them at least 2-3 times a month since my first son was born eight years ago.  They are just one of those childhood favorites that are quick, easy and take minimal ingredients.

But my problem was always how to make these yummy gooey sandwiches for everyone to enjoy at the same time.  You see, if I were to make sandwiches for my whole family for lunch, I would need to make about 7-8 sandwiches at a time (way too many to fit in my frying pan!)

So what was my solution?  Bake them.  I know it sounds so simple and maybe you have been doing it for years, but for me, the light bulb just turned on!  Here’s what I do:

Butter your bread as you normally do to make grilled cheese and lay one slice butter side down on a baking sheet.  Top with shredded cheese (do it yourself in your Cuisinart Food Processor to save money) and lay the other buttered slice of bread on top.  Now bake at 350 for about 5-6 minutes until golden brown.  Then flip the grilled cheese over and bake for a few more minutes until the other side is nicely toasted.  Voila!  Grilled cheese sandwiches – baked in bulk!

With this method of making grilled cheese, I can easily do 8 sandwiches at a time.  And they turn out really well.  They are tasty, perfectly crispy and full of oozy gooey melted cheese.  Lunch anyone?