December might feel like the wrong time to think about fresh-picked veggies… But for container gardeners? It’s actually a perfect time to grow the cutest (and tastiest!) mini root crops right inside the house. Carrots and radishes LOVE cool weather, and with the short December days, small pots, and indoor conditions, they grow surprisingly well, often faster than you’d expect. If you’ve ever dreamed of snipping your own winter radishes or pulling adorable baby carrots straight from a pot on your counter… you’re in the right place. Let’s dig in! 🥕 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 & 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 Indoor conditions in winter naturally match what these crops enjoy: ✔ Cooler temps ✔ Consistent moisture ✔ No pests ✔ Controlled environment ✔ No risk of frost or hard freezes Plus, radishes grow in 25–30 days and many carrot varieties mature in 45–60 days, making them ideal for winter windowsill gardening. 🌱 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 The secret is choosing compact, fast-growing types. ✨ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 (𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐭–𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲) * Parisian: round, sweet, and perfect for shallow pots * Thumbelina: marble-sized carrots that grow quickly * Tonda di Parigi: old-fashioned and delicious * Little Finger: slim 3–4" carrots ideal for narrow pots ✨ 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 (𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬) * Cherry Belle: the classic red radish * French Breakfast: mild sweetness, gorgeous coloring * Easter Egg: fun variety of colors * Sparkler: crunchy and fast These varieties don't need deep soil and mature quickly making them perfect for winter experiments. 🪴 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞!) 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬: * Pot depth: 6–8 inches * Width: any size, even small wide bowls * Drainage: essential 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬: * Pot depth: 8–10 inches * Wide containers help with spacing * Excellent drainage required 𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐭𝐢𝐩: Use lightweight plastic pots in winter as they warm quicker than ceramic. 🥄 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐱 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 Root veggies want loose, fluffy, airy soil. Hard, compacted mixes = stubby, twisted roots.

All the best to the incoming winner💚🥬🌶🥑

It's worth a peep👌

Fresh lettuce in December? Absolutely. Indoor lettuce pots are one of the easiest ways to enjoy crisp, homegrown greens even when the outside world is cold, dark, and decidedly not “garden-friendly.” The trick is keeping your lettuce pot happy through the whole month, not just the first week. With the right setup and a few simple habits, you can harvest tender leaves over and over, all winter long. Here’s how to turn your indoor lettuce pot into a thriving, leafy, all-month-long salad machine. 🌤️𝟏. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 (𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬) Lettuce is more light-hungry than people expect it to be, especially in December. 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: * A bright south-facing window * A grow light placed 6–10 inches above the leaves * Under-cabinet LED lighting on a kitchen counter Lettuce gets leggy FAST when light is too weak. Weak light = stretched stems, floppy leaves, bitter flavor. 𝐀𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫: ✔ 10–12 hours of bright light daily ✔ Even coverage across the whole pot If you notice your lettuce leaning, getting pale, or reaching, add a small grow light. It makes a huge difference. 🌱 𝟐. 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞-𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝) For ongoing December harvests, choose cut-and-come-again types: ⭐ 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: * Black-Seeded Simpson * Salad Bowl (green or red) * Oak Leaf * Red Sails * Buttercrunch (semi-loose head, very tender) * Mizuna * Baby romaine blends * Mesclun mixes These keep producing for weeks when harvested correctly. 💧 𝟑. 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 Lettuce loves moisture, but not soggy soil. 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧: * The top 1 inch feels dry * Leaves start to slightly soften * The pot feels lighter 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝: ✘ Watering on a strict schedule ✘ Letting water sit in the saucer ✘ Letting the soil fully dry out Winter air is dry, but winter growth is slow — adjust watering to match. 🌬️ 𝟒. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐈𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥 (𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭!) If your home runs warm during the holidays, move the pot to a cooler area. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐬: 𝟔𝟎–𝟕𝟎°𝐅 = cooler is better