Success with a Smaller Indoor Oasis
(Via gardenauthor)
Because we all need a stop-gap, between lingering winter and reticent spring. And, because we don't all have a sun room or solarium in which to create an indoor oasis, there are simple steps we can take to extend our season. At least some of that pent-up energy and creativity that all backyard gardeners seem to possess, can be vented in the creation and maintenance of an indoor plant oasis.
Not only will our spirits be lifted by green, growing plants within the living space, but we'll enjoy the health benefits inherent with their cultivation. Increased humidity and the exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen, will be provided by even a relatively small group of plants. Many gases and pollutants emitted by carpets, drapes and other household furnishings, are removed by such specimens as the pothos and spider plant.
In deciding which plants are appropriate for your home, consider available light, average temperature and proximity to heat sources. While natural light can be supplemented through the use of plant lights, it's best to position plants where they'll receive ideal light, according to their requirements.
Although a hot, south-facing window may scorch the tender foliage of Ficus or Spathiphyllum, it would be ideal for cacti, Yucca, Aloe and other succulents. A low-lit living room wouldn't support a high-light plant such as Swedish ivy, but may be ideal for Chinese evergreen, Aspidistra, Dracena, Pothos, or Spathiphyllum.
Or, maybe you'll choose a Sansevieria for your indoor garden. Its long, tough, semi-succulent foliage is attractively variegated and this strong plant will live just about anywhere. High light, low light, dry soil or dry air are not a problem for this old time favorite, sometimes known as 'mother-in-law's tongue.' Sansevieria and split-leaf Philodendron have provided the interior landcsaping for many a barber shop or doctor's office.
Keep in mind, as you plan your plant groupings and position those plants, that available sunlight varies with the passing of the seasons. While that south-facing window is ideal for Hibiscus and other flowering plants during winter, it's too intense during the summer, at which point they should be moved to an east-facing window, or outdoors to a partly shaded location. By the same token, a window that may provide strong sunlight now, may be shaded during the growing season, as shade trees foliate, changing indoor light dramatically.
The best rule of thumb is never to force the situation: don't insist on cultivating a plant in an inappropriate setting (sound familiar? as in the premise behind planning the exterior landscaping?). I once checked a newly-established Ficus benjamina for a client, only to find it in very low light. Although the living room was moderately bright, the plant was tucked away into a dimly-lit corner. While weak, new growth was sprouting from the tips, so much older foliage had been shed, that this specimen was a skeleton of its former self.
A plant light being installed above the Ficus would certainly help (if run about 10 hours per day), but the ideal situation would have been removing it to bright, diffused sunlight... leaving that corner for the low-light specimens already outlined. Syngonium, with its arrowhead leaves, is available with attractive variegations and is a personal favorite for low and medium light situations.
Another factor to consider with low lightis that soils dry out slowly, making it easy to over-water. As with any plant, it's important not to leave standing water in the saucer, which leads to root rot and other problems. Always fill trays or saucers with small pebbles, set pots atop the stones and excess water drains safely away. You can also add water daily to the stone bed, just below the pot base. Water rises up around the plant as beneficial humidity. Such a constant source of humidity is much more reliable than "spritzing" the foliage with a mister bottle.
With just a little planning, and a bit of research, it's possible to enjoy a scaled-down version of that indoor oasis, we discussed last time. As for spring, and looking for that elusive bud-break, well keep up the search and start those spring garden, as weather permits. Meanwhile, turn those green thumbs brown, tending your indoor gardens!
Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
©Deb Lambert 2008
Because we all need, and are looking for, a little bit of this...
Because we all need a stop-gap, between lingering winter and reticent spring. And, because we don't all have a sun room or solarium in which to create an indoor oasis, there are simple steps we can take to extend our season. At least some of that pent-up energy and creativity that all backyard gardeners seem to possess, can be vented in the creation and maintenance of an indoor plant oasis. Not only will our spirits be lifted by green, growing plants within the living space, but we'll enjoy the health benefits inherent with their cultivation. Increased humidity and the exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen, will be provided by even a relatively small group of plants. Many gases and pollutants emitted by carpets, drapes and other household furnishings, are removed by such specimens as the pothos and spider plant.
In deciding which plants are appropriate for your home, consider available light, average temperature and proximity to heat sources. While natural light can be supplemented through the use of plant lights, it's best to position plants where they'll receive ideal light, according to their requirements.
Although a hot, south-facing window may scorch the tender foliage of Ficus or Spathiphyllum, it would be ideal for cacti, Yucca, Aloe and other succulents. A low-lit living room wouldn't support a high-light plant such as Swedish ivy, but may be ideal for Chinese evergreen, Aspidistra, Dracena, Pothos, or Spathiphyllum.
Or, maybe you'll choose a Sansevieria for your indoor garden. Its long, tough, semi-succulent foliage is attractively variegated and this strong plant will live just about anywhere. High light, low light, dry soil or dry air are not a problem for this old time favorite, sometimes known as 'mother-in-law's tongue.' Sansevieria and split-leaf Philodendron have provided the interior landcsaping for many a barber shop or doctor's office.
Keep in mind, as you plan your plant groupings and position those plants, that available sunlight varies with the passing of the seasons. While that south-facing window is ideal for Hibiscus and other flowering plants during winter, it's too intense during the summer, at which point they should be moved to an east-facing window, or outdoors to a partly shaded location. By the same token, a window that may provide strong sunlight now, may be shaded during the growing season, as shade trees foliate, changing indoor light dramatically.
The best rule of thumb is never to force the situation: don't insist on cultivating a plant in an inappropriate setting (sound familiar? as in the premise behind planning the exterior landscaping?). I once checked a newly-established Ficus benjamina for a client, only to find it in very low light. Although the living room was moderately bright, the plant was tucked away into a dimly-lit corner. While weak, new growth was sprouting from the tips, so much older foliage had been shed, that this specimen was a skeleton of its former self.
A plant light being installed above the Ficus would certainly help (if run about 10 hours per day), but the ideal situation would have been removing it to bright, diffused sunlight... leaving that corner for the low-light specimens already outlined. Syngonium, with its arrowhead leaves, is available with attractive variegations and is a personal favorite for low and medium light situations.
Another factor to consider with low lightis that soils dry out slowly, making it easy to over-water. As with any plant, it's important not to leave standing water in the saucer, which leads to root rot and other problems. Always fill trays or saucers with small pebbles, set pots atop the stones and excess water drains safely away. You can also add water daily to the stone bed, just below the pot base. Water rises up around the plant as beneficial humidity. Such a constant source of humidity is much more reliable than "spritzing" the foliage with a mister bottle.
With just a little planning, and a bit of research, it's possible to enjoy a scaled-down version of that indoor oasis, we discussed last time. As for spring, and looking for that elusive bud-break, well keep up the search and start those spring garden, as weather permits. Meanwhile, turn those green thumbs brown, tending your indoor gardens!
Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
©Deb Lambert 2008
