Time to show your indoor garden some love
These houseplants are thriving in the indirect light from a north-facing window. Kathy Morrison
It’s time to show some TLC to our indoor gardens. Why? Jan. 10 is National Houseplant Appreciation Day.
Our assortment of ferns, orchids and other tropical plants do more than decorate our rooms. They help keep us people healthier and happier.
The plants that make the best houseplants like the same conditions we do – temperatures in the 60s or 70s with bright in-direct light. They don’t ask much – weekly watering, a little fertilizer and an occasional dusting. In return, they offer a lot of positives.
Their foliage helps clean the air, filtering out pollutants and carbon dioxide while adding a little extra oxygen. In addition, houseplants contribute a little moisture and extra humidity to our indoor air, creating a more comfortable and cooler environment – for them and us.
Besides improving air quality, houseplants also have a therapeutic quality. We enjoy being around plants. They make us smile. They improve attitudes in both office and at home.
This day of recognition is credited to the Gardener’s Network (www.gardenersnet.com), which has been publishing an online gardening e-zine for 24 years. Nurseries and garden clubs spread recognition of this plant-centric commemoration.
Headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., the Gardener’s Network saw Houseplant Appreciation Day as a way snowbound gardeners could get their hands dirty in midwinter. Jan. 10 was chosen because it was after the holidays, likely after the exit of the Christmas tree.
Houseplants have never been more popular. With people stuck at home, the Covid-19 pandemic launched houseplant mania nationwide. Almost four years later, houseplant sales remain strong as people discovered they love their indoor jungles.
Low-maintenance plants are the best-sellers. That includes ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), pothos and philodendron – especially variegated varieties. Also popular are indoor bloomers such as hoyas, moth and dendrobium orchids, anthuriums and dwarf bird of paradise.
Among the most efficient plants at cleaning air and improving air quality are peace lilies (Spathiphyllum).
How to celebrate Houseplant Appreciation Day?
* Start by checking soil moisture. Make sure your houseplants are well watered.
* Snip off dead foliage and show your plants some TLC.
* Dust the leaves; that helps the foliage function better.
* If possible, put your plants in the shower and give them a gentle indoor rain. That washes off dirt and grime that may have accumulated.
* Start some cuttings from your houseplants and share with friends.
* Get some more houseplants. The selection has never been better as more people discover the joy of indoor gardening. Find a new favorite or rediscover an old-time charmer.
For more advice on houseplants: https://www.gardenersnet.com/hplants/index.htm.
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
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