This is the first in a series of articles on what a gardener can do in the winter.

"Winter interest" is the term given to landscape plants which have aesthetic merit during the otherwise barren months of late November through March. A later article will focus on outdoor plants, but this article's focus is the array of choices for indoor plants, which can be purchased and maintained year-round.

Most house plants are tropical species which, in the wild, enjoy temperatures of 65-85 degrees year round- the same as most people! Some species enjoy high humidity and benefit from running a humidifier, misting, or a pebble tray. There are species which will survive in the low light of a windowless cubicle, thrive in the shady corner of a living room, or take over a sunny windowsill. Whatever your indoor conditions, there is a house plant for you.

Preferred vs. Tolerated

Each house plant specie evolved in the wild under particular conditions. The closer you come to mimicking those conditions, the better the plant will perform for you. Plants like philodendron and epipremnum prefer low light conditions, like the corner of a south-facing bathroom, away from the window, out of direct sunlight but still somewhat bright. Plants are tougher than we think, however. Philodendron will survive under ordinary fluorescent lights with almost no natural light, or on a south-facing windowsill which is sunny all day. With no natural light and the measly 2-5 footcandles* of fluorescent light it might recieve in an office, for example, philodendron will grow but its growth will be slow and the new growth will be very dark green and leggy. Under too much sun, philodendron leaves become very small and pale green, and may even burn around the edges.

Every plant has its "preferred" conditions and its "tolerated" conditions. "Preferred" conditions give your plant its absolute best appearance.

Humidity can also be an important factor in giving your plant its preferred conditions. A philodendron in the bathroom situation described above would get plenty of humidity during hot showers. In a living room, philodendron would do fine without the humidity from the shower but would benefit from misting or a pebble tray. Proper humidity promotes lush, shiny foliage and in some species is crucial to flowering. The easiest method of raising the humidity around a plant is simply placing a tray full of gravel or pebbles under the container and filling it halfway with water. The bottom of the planter should never sit in the water, always above it, on top of the pebbles.

Watering

A good general rule is to water only when the top inch or so of soil has dried in the pot. Some plants may need more frequent watering, while some plants such as succulents (cactus-like plants with fleshy leaves) need less water. Watering on a set schedule (once a day, once a week, etc) can lead to over or underwatering as conditions inside the home and around the plant change. Checking the soil with your finger is the most reliable indicator of its moisture. The weight of the pot, color of the soil and size of the root ball may also be considered.

A little research and some careful trial and error will determine the water regimen appropriate for your plant in its current location. Water should be reduced in the winter months while plants are not growing as actively.

The most common cause of house plant fatality is overwatering.

Plants do not absorb oxygen from the air. All of the oxygen a plant needs comes from the roots in the soil. If the soil is constantly wet, the plant cannot get oxygen. The leaves turn yellow, wilt, and drop off. One-time overwatering can be fatal, but usually overwatering deaths occur over time. If you water quite frequently and notice the leaves yellowing and dropping, allow the plant to dry out more between waterings.

Species

There are virtually endless possibilities for cultivating plants in the home. Proper care and supplemental lighting makes growing even high light plants in windowless rooms possible. It all depends on your conditions, what "look" you want from a plant, and how much care you intend to give it.

Many indoor plants are cultivated for their attractive foliage, usually variegated or with an interesting pattern (Spider/Airplane Plant, Herringbone Plant.) There are also cactus-like plants suitable to growing indoors whose foliage usually has an interesting shape, these are called succulents (Snake Plant, Jade.) Then there are the flowering indoor plants which are prized for their blooms (Kalanchoe, Phalaenopsis Orchid.)

Once you determine which plant is right for you, a quick internet search will tell you the best way to care for it. If you come across many different answers to the same question, like watering, average them out and apply that concept to your situation as best you can.

Currently Yorkshire Garden Center has in stock Spider Plants, Kalanchoes, African Violets, Swedish Ivy and more! Come on in, take a look, and maybe bring home a new house plant that, if cared for, will reward you with years of color and interest. Talk to the staff for more specific information. We look forward to seeing you!

Yorkshire Garden Center
8281 Centreville Rd.
Manassas, VA 20111

*Footcandles (fc) are a measure of light intensity. The top of a tree in the middle of summer recieves about 10,000 fc of light on a sunny day and about 1,000 fc on a cloudy day. A standard fluorescent light fixture shines 2-5 fc on the top of a table.Further reading.