For many years I avoided growing houseplants because the process seemed so darned tricky. I'd forget to water them or they were so neglected they got bugs. They seldom bloomed.
Yet houseplants are said to be good for you. They clean the air and they give you something green to nurture when the world outside is bleak and white.
"You don't need a green thumb," said Jim Hole of Hole's Greenhouses and Gardens. "You just need light. If you have enough light, you can grow anything inside – even tomatoes."
Hole used a light meter to show how little light there is in the first week of November, even inside the Enjoy Centre, which has greenhouse-like windows. The highest amount of sunshine near the south windows registered 10 times as much as could be found in the central part of the building.
"With grow lights you can have the same amount of light energy. To produce food, the plants need light energy and if you have it, for a minimum of 10 hours per day, theoretically you could grow a carrot or a rose inside," Hole said.
Watering helps too, but if they have light, some plants are more forgiving than others, even if you forget to give them a drink. The bug issue isn't that difficult to control, Hole said.
"The most common bugs are fungus gnats and there is a spray for that. Keep the soil surface dryer and don't overwater, and you'll have fewer bugs," he said.
Easy growers:
• Amaryllis: Amaryllis bulbs are available now in stores and they are easy to grow, as long as you follow directions. They grow best in a sunny east-facing window. Plant the bulbs with the top third part of the bulb above the soil. Plant amaryllis in a small pot because it likes to be root bound. On the day you plant the bulb, stick four bamboo sticks into the pot so you can support the plant when it blooms. It should bloom six to eight weeks after planting.
• Aspidistra: Aspidistra have broad floppy leaves and if they are healthy, they look – well – green. And that after all is the object of having a houseplant. Sometimes they are called, "bar-room plants" or "parlour plants" because they are usually stuck in a corner and forgotten. Another name is "cast-iron plant" because they are hard to kill.
• African violet: African violets were discovered in Tanzania in the late 1800s and soon became everyone's favourite house plant because they are so easy to propagate from leaves. African violets like the bright sunlight of an east-facing window and they don't like water on their leaves. Once a week, place the pot in a saucer filled with water and a quarter teaspoon of 20-20-20 fertilizer. Let the plants soak in it for 30 minutes. Then discard the excess water.
• Bromeliad: These plants, related to pineapples, produce a feather-shaped rosette, once in their lifetime. However the plants may be split once the flowers are finished, and in another six months you may get another bloom. Put water in the naturally-shaped cup at the centre of the plant.
• Chinese evergreen: These plants are known for filtering the air in the house. There are many varieties, but most have variegated leaves. The plants will even thrive in a basement. If the plants become stunted, with rotten stems, they have too much water. If the leaves turn yellow, they are too dry. It doesn't get much easier.
• Fiddleleaf fig: These have broad-shaped glossy leaves, but you need a high, sunny window to grow this plant.
"My brother Bill has one in his house that is 18 or 20 feet tall," said Hole.
• Money tree: Bonsai money trees with braided stems are popular in feng shui designs because they are thought to bring luck and even cash to your household.
• Snake plant: This plant, also known as mother-in-law's tongue, has stiff, pointy leaves, that may be braided when the plant is very small. The snake plant is also a good air purifier and will grow well in a low-light area such as a bathroom.
• ZZ plant: Also known as Zamioculcas zamiifolia, has glossy dark green foliage.
"If you want a bullet-proof plant, ZZ is it," said Hole.
"It will tolerate low light and will tolerate not being watered for three or four months. I like to keep mine watered, but if you go away to Arizona and go golfing, ZZ will be there when you get back," Hole said.
