The past month has been hard for us gardeners! It has been bitterly cold with so much snow it seems that it will never melt. A good way to keep your green thumb working is to grow plants indoors. You can grow houseplants or herbs year-round inside.
Houseplants
There are so many great houseplants to choose from for color, leaf structure and flowering. I have a few, they are all grown primarily for their greenery. Aloe, philodendrons, hoya, snake plant or Mother-in-law’s tongue, and Schefflera or Umbrella tree plant are all plants I enjoy in my office. At home, I enjoy African violets, spider plant, Chinese fern, and inchplant. There are also some great dumbcane plants, corn plant, and peace lily among many others to choose from.
Growing Conditions for Houseplants
Light is critical for any plant, but houseplants can have real problems if placed in incorrect lighting. According to Sarah Browning, Lancaster County Extension Educator, South facing windows provide the brightest light, while across the room from a north window is the darkest location. If you do not have a location near a window with enough light intensity, you may need to supplement the light around your plant. You can purchase plant lights from many stores and online shopping locations.
Humidity is another critical care factor for houseplants. Many houseplants are tropical in nature and our homes are quite dry in comparison, especially in the winter months. Plants need 70-80% humidity for best growth. Increased humidity in the room can be accomplished through the use of a humidifier or by placing plants in bathrooms which are typically more humid. A pebble tray can also be used to add humidity to your plants. Do not leave plants sitting in water, this can lead to root rot issues.
Be sure to keep the plants sufficiently watered. Just feeling around in the soil to test for moisture can be an effective way to know when to water. Don’t just water weekly on the same day, test the soil first. If the soil feels wet, don’t water, if it feels dry water the plant. Add water until it runs out the drainage holes in the container.
Herbs
Herbs that are typically grown indoors include chives, basil, rosemary, parsley, thyme, sage, and oregano. Harvesting these wonderful fresh herbs throughout the winter is the best part of growing herbs indoors throughout the winter months. The harvest is quite easy, just snip off stems before they bloom to get the best flavor. The plant will continue to regenerate new growth throughout the entire winter.
Growing Conditions
Indoor grown herbs need to be placed in the sunniest windowsill in your home. They need at least 10 hours of light each day to get their maximum growth. Supplemental light may be necessary to get the full amount of light they need each day. This can be controlled with a timer to make sure that it is turned on and off equally each day. This supplemental light should only be 8-10 inches from the plants themselves to get the maximum light intensity for the plants. Along with the amount of light the plants receive, you should make sure that your herbs are not placed near a drafty location in your home.
Herbs like to be in well-drained soil. Grow in containers with drainage holes. Place the pot in a saucer or some type of dish to catch the extra water, but never leave the plants sitting in the saucer of water. Allow the plants to dry out some between each watering but do not let them get too dry.
If you have any further questions please contact Nicole Stoner at (402) 223-1384, nstoner2@unl.edu, visit the Gage County Extension website at www.gage.unl.edu, or like my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NicoleStonerHorticulture and follow me on twitter @Nikki_Stoner
Nicole Stone
Extension Educator
Gage County
January 2024