The end of December is when the long nights have gardeners looking more at indoor plants.
Houseplants have been growing in popularity especially with younger people, as the next generation focuses on health and wellness but find it more difficult to become landowners. Here are some of the most asked questions this year about houseplants.
Q. Why did my closet houseplant stop blooming? I researched and purchased this houseplant for my low light apartment. (I actually live in a basement apartment) but once I got it home the flower faded and I have been waiting for weeks but still no new blooms. I am a beginning gardener. Also, my roommate claims there is no plant named “Closet Houseplant”. F.G., Enumclaw
A. Welcome to gardening and the world of different common names for the same plant. Your first houseplant has many common names including the name “closet houseplant” as it requires little sunlight but is also goes by Peace lily, White sail and the official Latin name of Spathiphyllum. Using the botanical or Latin name of a plant becomes important because so many plants have different common names. As for why your plant is no longer flowering, you will learn to grow patience along with your plant buddies as once indoor plants bloom they usually take a rest for a few months, especially in the winter when the days are short and the light is low. Your Spathiphyllum can be coaxed into blooming again this spring if you place it near the brightest window where it will get maximum sunlight. If the light in your basement window is so dim that no more flowers appear just enjoy the green foliage and add more low light houseplants such as Sansevieria (a low light, low water houseplant with two common names – snake plant and mother-in-law’s tongue.)
Q. I was given a beautiful poinsettia before Christmas. I would like to enjoy it indoors but am hoping to transplant it outdoors once the weather warms. Is this possible? D.N, Tacoma
A. Sure, you can put any houseplant outdoors once the weather is warm and in Western Washington that usually means waiting until June when night temps are above 55 degrees. You must be able to accept however, that your poinsettia will never survive once the cold weather returns so you need to keep it in a container to move it back indoors for the winter. The reality is that poinsettia plants grow taller and less attractive as the days grow longer and the colorful leaf bracts revert to green. Enjoy your poinsettia as long as you find it attractive then don’t feel guilty about adding it to the compost pile.
Q. What is the easiest orchid plant to grow indoors? I do not have much room but I do have a windowsill that gets the morning sun. Thank you. P., Email
A. You cannot fail with a phalaenopsis orchid, which also goes by the common name of butterfly or moth orchid. The newer varieties of this orchid are so much easier to grow than even a decade ago as they have been bred to be less particular about sun and water. Notice how even grocery stores offer phalaenopsis orchids for sale so you can bring one home the next time you run out of milk. If you have limited space chose the miniature or dwarf phalaenopsis as they fit easily on a narrow windowsill. The easiest way to water this houseplant if so set the plastic pot in the sink once a week and soak the soil with tap water. Once the pot has drained you can replace it into a cache pot which is the outer, decorative pot that often comes with a potted orchid. Look for a plant with many flower buds on the tip of the stem and you can enjoy blooms for months.
Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of “Easy Answers for Great Gardens” and several other books. For answers to gardening questions, visit plantersplace.com and click “As The Expert”. Copyright for this column owned by Marianne Binetti. For more gardening information, she can be reached at her website, www.binettigarden.com.
