Share Your Miniature Indoor Garden Ideas! :)

[crazytortoiselady]

Hey there! Last spring I adopted the sweetest little full-grown Russian tort, named him Clyde, and got him all set up in a nice big indoor enclosure. Throughout the summer, I let him out for a few hours every day to graze in our lawn--it made him happy, it made my mom happy because he ate all our (plentiful) weeds and left the grass mostly alone, and it made me happy to follow him around and watch him munching. About a month ago, I moved back to college and, of course, brought Clyde and his enclosure along with me. He's having the time of his life here--my roommates and friends think he's super cool, and Clyde's such a social little ham that he eats up the attention and scratches at the side of his enclosure looking to be petted (and/or fed ^_^ ) every time someone looks in. Everything's perfectly great--except! My only problem is keeping him fed a good, healthy, variety-filled diet when I can't let him outside to graze!

I've been giving him collard greens, herbs like dill weed and cilantro and basil, spring mix with the spinach picked out, and arugula among other things--but all of this can get pretty expensive for a broke college student! So I'm looking for some ideas for creating a cheap, small-space-friendly indoor garden that would be conducive to picking up and moving at the end of the year. Is there such a thing? Am I chasing a pipe dream? Or is it possible? Let me know! Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

P.S. Attached is a picture of my lovely tortoise friend, looking handsome as usual.

 

[kirsty Johnston]

You can buy weed growing kits online - Amazon sells them

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Look up Testudo seed mixes. There are lots of weeds you can grow, but honestly, indoor growing isn't all that cost effective. How much light do you have indoors?

 

[Nephelle]

Hey there! Last spring I adopted the sweetest little full-grown Russian tort, named him Clyde, and got him all set up in a nice big indoor enclosure. Throughout the summer, I let him out for a few hours every day to graze in our lawn--it made him happy, it made my mom happy because he ate all our (plentiful) weeds and left the grass mostly alone, and it made me happy to follow him around and watch him munching. About a month ago, I moved back to college and, of course, brought Clyde and his enclosure along with me. He's having the time of his life here--my roommates and friends think he's super cool, and Clyde's such a social little ham that he eats up the attention and scratches at the side of his enclosure looking to be petted (and/or fed ^_^ ) every time someone looks in. Everything's perfectly great--except! My only problem is keeping him fed a good, healthy, variety-filled diet when I can't let him outside to graze!

I've been giving him collard greens, herbs like dill weed and cilantro and basil, spring mix with the spinach picked out, and arugula among other things--but all of this can get pretty expensive for a broke college student! So I'm looking for some ideas for creating a cheap, small-space-friendly indoor garden that would be conducive to picking up and moving at the end of the year. Is there such a thing? Am I chasing a pipe dream? Or is it possible? Let me know! Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

P.S. Attached is a picture of my lovely tortoise friend, looking handsome as usual.

What a handsome fellow!

And hello! I am so glad you posted this, as I am thinking of doing something similar this winter in my spare room. I live in an apartment and have the same problem with sourcing a varied diet that I know is safe for my RT to eat.

I have been toying with the idea of installing one or two florescent strip lights with grow bulbs. However, I have done this in the past and like Sarah mentioned, it is not necessarily budget friendly. I would be interested in hearing where you'd planned on setting up and about how large of an area you had to dedicate to it? My spare room has two large windows but not great light--I've already tried several herbs there and they are coming up leggy.

Yay fun post Cheers!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If you grow the Testudo mix from tortoise Supply, you can cut the tops off of most of the greens and they actually grow back several times. It becomes an almost never ending supply of food that they love.
I grow it in kiddie pools out in my yard.

 

[AnimalLady]

If you grow the Testudo mix from tortoise Supply, you can cut the tops off of most of the greens and they actually grow back several times. It becomes an almost never ending supply of food that they love.
I grow it in kiddie pools out in my yard.

This is a great idea, kiddie pools. Hm. I have mine in those plastic things that hold paint. $.99ea!! HA! So, if I cut the tips they keep growing? I was thinking of just placing one in his home and rotating...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

This is a great idea, kiddie pools. Hm. I have mine in those plastic things that hold paint. $.99ea!! HA! So, if I cut the tips they keep growing? I was thinking of just placing one in his home and rotating...

Did you drill holes in the bottoms? You'll need to for the rain.

 

[AnimalLady]

Did you drill holes in the bottoms? You'll need to for the rain.

I didn't drill them per say, but I did stab them with a screw driver a bunch of times! Me and that drill DO NOT get along

 

[Yvonne G]

This is my garden:



This year I've only planted two rows in the street side - lettuces, turnips, collards and something that grows from a little round seed like a nasturtium, but not a nasturtium. I plant in the fall and am able to cut the tops off the lettuces all throughout the winter months.

 

[crazytortoiselady]

Oh wow, guys, these are great suggestions and I really appreciate them! Thanks for all your help!

I've decided that i probably won't have the room and the budget for my mini garden right now, unfortunately. Some day, though! But thanks again for all the suggestions, and absolute best of luck in all your gardening endeavors!