It’s January and we may be looking out our windows seeing bare trees and empty gardens with snow covering them, but many of us who love to garden are already thinking about the coming spring and perhaps getting anxious to dig in some dirt.
Seed catalogs have begun to arrive in the mail; for many of us it is a great time to look at lovely photos and read about new varieties of seeds and plants we may want to try growing this spring.
One important thing to keep in mind is to look at what zone hardiness is best for that new perennial plant we would like to try. Our area is primarily zone 4 so remember to look for that in the plant information.
Many of us enjoy having some houseplants.
House plants are great for us in several ways. They add beauty to our homes, take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, add humidity to the air and many help cleanse our air. For many of us they give some mental and emotional benefits too.
If you don’t have any houseplants, perhaps you know of someone who may have extra plants they may share with you. Or you can go to a local floral shop, there may be some easy to grow plants available there. You do need to consider how much natural lighting your home has. All plants need light, some want a lot of light but some may tolerate less.
Here are some suggestions of a few plants you might consider: Crotons have colorful foliage, prefer high light and humidity. Dracaenas have several varieties, are good for air cleaning and like medium to high light, some can grow quite tall. Dieffenbachia like medium light and can tolerate low humidity.
Jade plants like medium to bright light and low humidity.
The peace lily does well in low to medium light and low humidity. Philadendron and Pothos both are trailing plants, both tolerate low to medium light and can be kept on the dry side. Sanseveria — many times known as mother-in-law’s tongue — can be grown in low to medium light and does not want to be overwatered.
One of the most common houseplants is the spider plant, it is very easy to grow and likes medium to high light, prefers moister soil and is very easy to propagate its offshoots.
Wintertime is a great time to repot any houseplants you may have. Covering your work area with lots of newspaper or an old plastic shower curtain works great. Purchase fresh potting soil that is appropriate for your type of plant.
Some plants may have outgrown the pot they are in. Resist the urge to put the plant in a pot that is too large, usually a new clean pot (or a wash an old pot you may have on hand) that is an inch or two larger in diameter is best. Make sure there are drain holes in your new pot.
When I plan on repotting, I do hold off on watering the plant for a while. It is much easier to do it when it is a bit drier than when the plant is wet. Carefully lift the plant out and remove some of the old soil from the roots and repot it. Do not fill the pot to the top, leave a half to one inch space at the top. Water your transplanted plants.
After repotting your plants will thank you for it by flourishing! This is also a great time to propagate new starter plants that you may share with your friends. Plants can make great little gifts to brighten your friend’s day.
The Green County Master Gardeners are again hosting a day-long symposium “Must Have Ideas for Beautiful Gardens” on Saturday, March 9. Information will be available at the Green County University of Wisconsin Extension Office.
— Kris Winkler is a master gardener with the University of Wisconsin-Extension. She can be reached at kriswink56@gmail.com.
