Interior Gardening

• For an interesting, large, indoor plant, try camellia. They need acidic and moist (but well-drained) soil. Camellia are grown outdoors in the south in partial shade, but are not hardy north of zone 8.

• An interesting indoor fern to try is the brake fern, Pteris cretica. It grows better in a sunny window than most ferns.

• Once a month, water your acid-loving house plants, such as gardenia and citrus, using a solution of 1 teaspoon of vinegar to 1 quart of water.

• Check plants on southern indoor windowsills. Low winter sun angles may cause scorching.

• Resume a fertilizer schedule for indoor plants.

• When placing plants around the home, remember as a general rule, plants with thick leaves can take lower light levels than those with thin leaves.

• Pot up a few clumps of crocuses from the garden as they emerge. In a sunny spot indoors, they will develop blooms before the ones outside.

• Late February is a good time to air-layer such house plants as dracaena, dieffenbachia, fatsia, and rubber plant, especially if they have grown too tall and leggy.

• Spathyphyllums are native to the Amazon swamps, so they require regular watering. If the soil becomes so dry that leaves wilt, the root hairs may become non-functional, making them more susceptible to root diseases.

• Check all five growing factors if your house plants are not growing well. Light, temperature, nutrients, moisture, and humidity must be favorable to provide good growth.

• A welcome touch on a bleak, winter day is the verdant vine of a common sweet potato growing in a jar of water. Suspend tops in the water by sticking some toothpicks into them if necessary. Kiln-dried potatoes are not so suitable for this purpose, and those that have been sulphured are useless. So get them direct from a gardening neighbor, if possible.

• Amaryllis bulbs may not bloom if they are in too large a pot. There should be no more than one inch of space on each side of the bulb. At least one third of the bulb should be above the soil line.

• House plants with large leaves and smooth foliage (philodendron, dracaena, rubber plant, etc.) benefit if the leaves are washed at intervals to remove dust and grime, and thus keeping the leaf pores open.

• The Rieger begonia offers vibrant shades of red, orange, or gold blossoms above its dark, glossy leaves. Although it can be maintained for years with some special care and conditions, its several months of bloom are a worthwhile investment, and it can be discarded without a guilty conscience when it begins to look untidy. Its blossoms will last longest if given a half-day of sunlight and normal room temperatures.

• As a mid-winter project, grow plants from fruit seeds. Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, tangerines, and pomegranates may have viable seed. Try germinating them in a light, potting-soil mixture containing half peat moss. Keep seeds well watered and in a warm location. If seedlings fail to appear in six weeks, try again with new seeds. Citrus plants grown from seeds generally will not produce flowers or fruit, but they do have attractive shiny-leaved foliage.

• Tired of your Christmas poinsettia? Don't feel guilty if you toss it out. Like the Christmas tree, it has seasonal symbolism that many of us prefer to keep intact.

• Good air circulation is absolutely necessary for cacti and succulents. Avoid placing them in hot, stuffy areas. Be sure the indoor garden is well ventilated, yet not drafty.

• Research has shown that some leaf shine products sold for house plants can reduce the amount of light reaching the interior of the leaves, where food is manufactured photosynthetically. Using weeping figs as subjects, it was shown that surfaces of leaves treated with leaf shine products reflect significant amounts of light instead of absorbing it. Low-light conditions, plus use of leaf shine compounds, could add up to unhealthyplants.

• Never fertilize a plant in dry soil. The fertilizer could burn roots that need water. It's better to water plants a couple of hours before fertilizing.

• On mild, sunny days be sure to ventilate cold frames and greenhouses to avoid a buildup of excessive heat.

• The fumes produced by kerosene heaters in a small, home greenhouse may damage plants.

• Avoid overcrowding in greenhouses and hotbeds. Crowding can lead to trouble in the middle of winter when the ventilators are rarely opened. Still, damp air encourages fungus diseases, and the soft, new growth on the plants invites aphid infestation, especially when crowding occurs.

• Let your houseplants rest. Do not resume fertilizing them until they begin to show signs of new growth. Trim off anything unsightly. Keep them evenly moist - don't flood them or let them dry out. If pests show up, control by hand removal or insecticidal soap.

• Keep an eye out for fungus gnats. They thrive in overly wet soils. Visit the articles section on Integrated Pest Managment (yes, even for indoor gardening!) for information on these annoying little creatures.

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