Instructor: Steve Koontz

No image available Biography: Over 20 years ago, Steve received a free packet of gourd seeds and planted them in a small patch of ground in the front of his house. Not only did the seeds sprout, but the gourd plants took over the driveway and wound themselves into the screen door. That was when his passion for gardening first took root.In 2012, he moved into soil-less gardening with a Tower Garden - an aeroponic gardening system that works well indoors and out and he discovered more about the unique processes behind successfully growing edibles indoors. Since then, he's helped schools in Indiana and across the country purchase Tower Gardens and has trained teachers on how to effectively use them in their classrooms. Steve became a Master Gardener in 2015 and began specializing in indoor gardening, which includes potted plants as well as edibles. For several years, Steve taught the indoor gardening class for the Master Gardener Intern class. Steve owns and operates Keep It Watered, a business that specializes in indoor gardening. He and his wife, Christine, have two grown children and live in northern Indiana.

Classes by this instructor


Grow Lettuce in Your Living Room - NEW!
Don't let winter stop your green thumb! Learn how to grow fresh veggies, herbs, and microgreens indoors - even when it's snowing outside.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Doermer School of Business Bldg, Room 320
Indoor Gardening 101
Anyone interested in growing better houseplants and edibles indoors can learn how in this one-session overview. Students will learn about choosing the right plants for their space, ideal lighting, water, temperature, humidity, pest prevention, and soil requirements to grow plants indoors. We'll also discuss how to start vegetables indoors for outdoor gardens, plant propagation, as well as various types of soil-less gardening systems and how they work. Students will start their own micro-greens in class to take home. A green thumb isn't required!
Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Doermer School of Business Bldg, Room 320