January: Gardening Indoors

As the weather gets colder, your home’s heating system is more frequently in use, and indoor humidity drops. Low humidity and hot air blowing from air ducts are hard on plants.

Anything you can do to increase humidity will be beneficial to your indoor plants. Using humidifiers, misting plant foliage frequently, placing oversized gravel pans with two inches of gravel and one inch of water beneath plants, and grouping plants together are all methods of increasing humidity.

African violets, and other gesneriads, like warmth and should be kept out of cold drafts. Flowering houseplants should be moved to areas that receive as much sunlight as possible. The light intensity in January is low. On a winter day, the maximum amount of sunlight indoor plants receive is 2,500 foot candles; during summer, indoor plants can receive up to 10,000 foot candles.

Insects thrive in a hot, dry environment, so keep an eagle eye out for red spider mites, scales, and mealy bugs. Treat these pests with an organic pest control product as soon as you see any indication of their presence. Plants positioned close to a window may form condensation on their leaves, and could be prone to disease problems such as mildew or botrytis. Treat these problems as soon as any symptoms develop.

When you water your houseplants, water them well. One never over-waters by watering too much at one time; one over-waters by watering too frequently.

Foliage plants are not only aesthetically pleasing; they create a healthy environment. Foliage plants help purify indoor air, removing many of the toxins that are so prevalent in today’s modern houses. Flowering plants can also give you a psychological lift during a time of the year when many people experience midwinter blues.

Featured Plant: Cyclamen
Cyclamens are probably my favorite type of indoor flowering houseplant. In the old days, these required a very cool environment; but the new hybrids are very adaptable to ordinary room temperatures. Cyclamens need a sunny location and should be cleaned once a week: remove any spent flowers or yellow leaves.