Last Updated on October 15, 2022 by Griselda M.
So can you grow purslane indoors?
Purslane has come into fashion in recent years in North America. Purslane is popularly known to be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. It has been prized as a healing herb in parts of Asia and Europe.
The best thing about the purslane houseplant is that it is cold and hardy. You can grow indoors all year round. Besides being a useful herb, they are popular for their flowers which bloom in summer and fall. The leaves of the purslane plant are popularly used for soups and salads.
Can You Grow Purslane Indoors in Containers?
A common purslane variety is the Portulaca. It has thick green leaves with reddish tips and edges. Another popular variety is the Portulaca Sativa, which is also known as Golden Purslane.
When planting purslane indoors, you can decide which among the two varieties you would want to plant. So, can you grow purslane indoors in containers? The short answer is yes. The following are some tips you can follow for growing purslane indoors.
Prepare a Well-Draining Soil
Purslanes are succulents, which means they love well-draining souls. The soil in most vegetable gardens is fine for growing purslane indoors. It must be moist but not too loamy. You can mix it with natural manure or pumice to improve its nutrients and draining ability, respectively. Water sprouting Purslane seedlings as needed.
Sow the Seeds Directly into the Soil
Can you plant purslane indoors from seed? Of course, yes. While most succulents are grown from cuttings, purslanes are one of the many succulents that can be grown from seeds.
Since you are planting in a container, sow the seeds directly into the soil. Make sure they are ¾ inches in rows and about 8 inches apart. Thin to roughly 2-3 per foot in a row. If you are transplanting, you can sow in flats and transplant after you see some leaves.
Grow in Warm Spot
The best spot for purslane is somewhere that is warm. If you are planting from seeds, it cannot tolerate the cold. To help the seeds to germinate, you need to place your plant at a room temperature of 21 degrees.
Water your Plant
Part of the Purslane plant care is to give it enough water to grow. When watering, just sprinkle water on the sprouting Purslane seedlings as needed. The best way to keep your indoor plants healthy is to ensure there is enough water for your plant.
We suggest that you use a spray bottle if you cannot control the water. First, fill a large tray with water and place the Purslane container in the tray. Let the soil flow through the hole.
Can You Grow Purslane Indoors As Microgreens?
Microgreens can be a nutritious treat for everyone. Nowadays, microgreens are in demand in any market. As people make a move towards a healthy lifestyle, you can take advantage of this market demand to sell some purslane.
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So, if you want to ask “can you grow purslane indoors as microgreens”, yes you definitely can do that. Here are some tips you can follow when growing Purslane as microgreens.
- Prepare a perforated seedling tray.
- Cover the bottom with an organic potting mix to approximately ½ inches deep.
- Get your Purslane seeds and sow them onto the soil.
- Next, get some organic potting mix and cover them slightly. This will protect the seeds from flying away and help them grow.
- Water your purslane plant whenever necessary. It is ideal to keep the soil moist enough but not allow the seeds to get soaked in too much water.
- Place the pot in a sunny area. Purslane plants love being exposed to the sun.
- Sooner or later, you will see microgreens coming out in about 2 to 4 inches.
- Depending on how many plants you have sowed, you can cut them and place them in zip locks for storage.
- You can keep them to eat later or produce as many Purslanes as you want indoors so you can sell them.
Propagation Of Purslane Seeds Indoors
Step 1. Sow the seeds
Purslane plants can easily be grown from seeds. You can directly sow them in any container or seed tray and place them indoors. The key is to grow them somewhere that is warm. Just follow the perfect temperature for them and you won’t have any issues growing them indoors.
Step 2. Grow them inside
Start Purslane seeds indoors for 6-8 weeks. But eventually, you may take them outdoors to give them a natural sense of light. They can grow best when grown in outdoor gardens because of the natural light and temperature. But you can still grow them indoors. Some gardeners would use grow light to give mimic the effect of the sun. You can check our top grow light choices here.
Step 3. Peat post
You can use peat pots for your Purslane seeds, which is better for them. See the pots in a pan containing 2-3 inches of water for a few hours. Then let the medium absorb the water. This will help keep the soil moist.
Step 4. Transfer them outside
Wait for a few days to see some growth. In a matter of days, you should be able to see your plant, slowly coming to life and sprouting. When the sprouts have become sturdy and strong, you can transfer your plants outside.
Can You Grow Purslane Indoors From Cuttings?
So, can you grow purslane indoors from cuttings? The answer is also yes. As we have said, you can grow Purslane from seeds and cuttings.
When growing cuttings, you need to trim at least 6 inches of stem from the mother plant. Unlike seeds, which are directly sown into the grown, planting through cuttings requires you to remove the plant leaves from the bottom half before you can plant the cutting on the soil.
Once the stem is buried in the soil, you can follow the usual Purslane plant care above. As you see, it’s not that bad and difficult to grow purslane indoors. In fact, adding this succulent variety to your collection can be fun.
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