BY ANNIE HUSTON, BIRDSALL & CO.
Fall garden clean ups may still be underway. The last leaves have yet to come down to be raked in huge piles the wind will most likely blow away while you struggle to fill the bags. You have pruned the perennials and covered the fountain, cleaned the gutters and had the furnace checked. Pansies have replaced summer annuals in your garden beds and containers. Squirrels are feasting on pumpkins and hummingbirds are long gone. Some of you advanced gardeners have kept some annuals to overwinter them inside. Think of the geraniums in the school cafeteria that thrived in sunny windows. I hope that you also saved the begonias, mandevilla vines, rosemary, coleus, and hibiscus and made room for them on your windowsills or other bright spots in your home. My canna and dahlia bulbs were retrieved from summer containers and are comfortably awaiting the next warm season in the dark coziness of my cool garage.
It is now time to switch gears, concentrate on your indoor garden, and make it as inviting as your patio and luxurious as your backyard. Before your tropical plants go into their green slumber, shower them with tender loving care.
As an indoor fall cleanup, check for pests by looking on and under the leaves. Mealybugs, thrips, or spider mites may have infected your plants. In case of infestation, dunk the entire plant in a bucket of water with a few drops of liquid dish soap. Neem oil is another option when applied directly to the leaves and in the soil.
Repot the plants in fresh soil to add new nutrients and add earthworm castings to the top layer. It will slowly and organically fertilize with each watering.
Clean the leaves with a soft, humid towel to allow as much light as possible to be absorbed by the plants.
Indoor plants need less watering over the cold months. Check with a soil moisture meter if you don’t trust the finger test. Heated rooms are usually dry and taking the time to mist the leaves will provide welcome humidity. Keep the containers away from heat sources, unless it is sunlight from the windows. You’d think that plants like drafts since they thrive in natural winds, but they succumb to too much cold or hot air circulation.
Design with your plants!
Windowsills are far from the only spot for indoor plants, unless it is a rosemary. Get creative with plants as décor elements and explore the different possibilities.
Island centerpiece – A footbath planter with peace lilies is an instant classic and requires little care. Try the Domino Peace Lily with white variegations.
Dining table runner – Grab a rectangular tray and display flowering plants: cyclamens, Christmas cacti, African violets or paper whites are easily available. If you’re like me and don’t know the difference between a Christmas cactus and an Easter cactus: Easter or Spring cacti have rounded leaves, while Christmas cacti display squared off leaves.
Coffee table décor – Try a grouping of a potted plant (with a saucer) and candles. It will soften the small space while leaving room for drinks and books.
Bookshelves – Unless your bookshelves look like my daughter’s and are triple stacked, there is always room to intersperse greenery, even if there is no direct light. Indulge in a Sansivieria, or a lush ZZ! If trailing is more your style, pick a pothos or philodendron and let them grow wild.
Children’s bedroom – A combination of a fun, animal-shaped container and a soft Panda Plant will bring joy to your little one while teaching them how to water them and watch them grow.
Bathrooms – Thanks to the humidity, this is a wonderful environment for air plants. Since they are slow growers, I would start with a large size and arrange it or them on the countertop.
Living room – That is where you go all out by designing with large specimen plants. My favorite of the moment are big Cinnamon trees, Audrey Ficus and gigantic Pencil cactus with their yellow and red tones. Quite a statement if you have the bright, direct light.
What happens if you are not into live plants but appreciate the design of plant material? You are out of town a lot and cannot maintain natural plants, or your pets revel in munching the leaves? Faux greenery is your solution and I have stopped being a snob and purist about it. “Nearly natural” plants are commonly used in commercial applications but the new varieties, made of silk, are truly charming to the eyes and the touch. Dropped into a beautiful indoor container, and topped off with dry sphagnum moss, they are as elegant as the real plant. Without the stress!
With the holidays approaching, indoor plants double up as a backdrop for seasonal decorating. Wrap mini strings of lights around a cactus, hang small baubles on an Autograph tree to transform your living space. Display a few pinecones or holiday decorations at the bottom of a container to create a festive display. It’s all in the details!
Enjoy your indoor garden! We’ll see you in the spring!