Poundridge Nurseries, Inc. - Blog

After 15 years as a professional garden designer I feel confident that I know what it takes to grow healthy plants in the landscape. The variables of sun exposure, soil condition, availabilty of water, and seasonal climate are all factored into my plant selections because what each plant needs to grow and thrive is just as important as the aesthetic qualities that make it suitable for a design. I know how to find the right plant for the right place but I must admit that when it came to house plants I often struggled.

Growing house plants is tricky because conditions in our homes are less than ideal for the health and well being of most plants. The right amount of sunlight and humidity are difficult to gauge and control indoors. Windows aren’t always large enough to let in enough light, or they may be shaded by outside objects like large trees or neighboring buildings. On the other hand, a south facing window may provide too much sun and literally cook the plants. Conventional heating systems tend to dry out the air indoors making it difficult to grow plants that need humidity more akin to what we feel outside on a fine summer day.

I killed many house plants over the years but I finally found success as an indoor gardener when I began to match my house plant selections to the conditions inside my house, just like how I choose landscaping plants that are best suited to the growing conditions in my clients’ gardens. This epiphany led me to choose succulent plants–Mediterranean or desert plants that thrive in low humidity and bright sun–as my house plants of choice. Since then I have successly grown (which means I have kept these plants alive, in my house, for more than 4 years) agave, aloe, cactus, and jade plant. I keep them all on a long table above a heat register right in front of a south facing window. My second most successful indoor plant eco-tone is the shady corner. Here things like snakeplant (Sanseveria) or tuberous begonias enjoy low light and moderately dry soil.

Similar to how I tweak my outdoor planting plans I also move my house plants from place to place depending upon how they perform. For example, it took me several months to find the perfect spot for an African violet, but when I saw how happy it was on a pedestal in front of the window in our half-bath I kept it there. Now it blooms every four to six weeks and has grown out of its original pot several times.

House plants help me make it through New England winters. What better way to stay connected to nature when everything outside is cold and dormant than to have a little indoor greenery right in the living room.

By Daryl Beyers

Let us know what you grow indoors or any other tips that help you succeed with houseplants and we will post your comments on our website.

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