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Tips for your vegetable garden & cuttings

Gardening is a wonderful way to bring more calm and joy into your day. You don’t need a large garden: with a few pots, a planter or a small balcony, you can already grow a surprising amount. It’s motivating to see something you’ve sown yourself become stronger each week. And the great thing is that you can start right away with just a few simple tips. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying your own fresh herbs, lettuce or tomatoes.

A person is tending to her balcony garden as her pet dog looks on from the sofa.
Someone is growing a pepper plant using seeds taken from a fresh pepper.

Growing vegetables from your own seeds

Growing plants and vegetables indoors? Start by collecting the seeds from the fruit or vegetables you enjoy eating. Let them dry, then store them in an envelope and label it clearly. Keep everything organised in a practical SAMLA storage box. When to sow indoors?

Sow indoors in January in a warm spot around the heater:

  • Paprika
  • Peppers
  • Aubergine

You can also put pieces of sweet potato in wet soil so they start growing sprouts. Which you can plant in the garden in June.


Sow indoors in January in a cool spot: 

  • Peas
  • Broad beans


Sow indoors from February, in a bright spot or under a grow light:

  • Tomatoes
  • Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, pointed cabbage)
  • Lettuce (cut‑and‑come‑again, baby leaf)

Bought onion sets? Plant them in the ground in a cool, dry place indoors. You can also pre-sprout the seed potatoes in egg cartons. Both go into the ground between March and April.

 

Sow indoors in March:

  • Cucumbers
  • Courgettes
  • Pumpkins
  • Rocket and spinach
Secondary storage boxes

Sowing outdoors after the Ice Saints

From May onwards, once the soil has warmed up (after the Ice Saints), you can start sowing outdoors. For example, sow:

  • Sweetcorn
  • Swiss chard
  • Flowers such as sunflowers and marigolds

In summer, you sow kale, cavolo nero and carrots. In autumn, you plant garlic cloves. And if you’ve got a dark shed, try growing mushrooms.

A table with growing supplies

A plant station in your home

A plant station is a compact, well‑organised spot where you keep everything together to care for, repot and grow your plants. Here’s how to set one up:

  • Use a sturdy table or work surface.
  • Create enough space for pots, soil and tools with shelves or cabinets.
  • Add rails and hooks to keep your scissors, watering can, and labels neatly organised.
  • Make sure there’s plenty of light with a desk lamp or ceiling lamp.
  • Add extra workspace and storage with a kitchen island or a movable trolley. 
Kitchen islands & storage trolleys
All plant cuttings growing in KORKEN jars and a VARDAGEN muffin tin.

Here's how to propagate plants

If you love plants, it’s well worth growing your own cuttings. Propagating plants means creating new plants from the ones you already have. Spring is the perfect season to take cuttings, giving them plenty of time to develop strong roots by summer.

How to propagate plants:

  1. Cut a healthy piece of stem, leaf or root.
  2. Place the cutting in a glass jar, vase or glass of water.
  3. Wait until you see roots forming.
  4. Once the roots are long enough, plant the cutting in a pot with fresh compost.
  5. Put the pot in a bright spot and let the plant grow at its own pace.

Tip: Plants that need extra warmth are best propagated in a small greenhouse or propagator.

One of the fun things about propagating is swapping cuttings with friends or family. It’s a great way to discover new plants and expand your collection.

Growing accessories
A black GRILLSKÄR back panel with small storage and hanging gardening tools. A yellow potted flower sits in front of it.

You don’t need a garden to grow plants

Thinking about growing your own plants, vegetables, fruit or herbs? IKEA has everything you need — from growing supplies and plant pots to watering cans, seedling trays, vases and gardening tools. And whatever the size of your space, there are plenty of clever storage solutions to keep things tidy. Consider a sturdy shelving unit, a handy trolley on wheels, an outdoor greenhouse or practical balcony pots to keep everything organised and within easy reach.

Outdoor storage