Easy-to-grow, pet-friendly houseplants
DEAR GARDEN COACH >>
I’m getting started with houseplants and have cats. Can you provide some general information for a newbie about growing, and a list of plants that are easy to grow and pet friendly? — Meredith S.
DEAR MEREDITH >> Houseplants are having a resurgence in popularity, and there is a lot of information about growing and care. One of my favorite authors, Peter McHoy, has been writing books on houseplants for many years. His recent “The Complete Houseplant Book: Identifying, Choosing and Maintaining Plants for Your Home” (Anness Publishing, 2015) would be a good title for your gardening shelf.
Just as in outdoor gardens, you should consider the needs of each plant you choose, since growing conditions are not the same for all. Issues to be informed about include light and watering, types of containers, soils, plant diseases and insects. This column cannot possibly address all these issues in detail, so I will recommend some helpful websites.
Water and light are keys for success. Overwatering, especially in winter, is the No. 1 killer of houseplants. Since they take in energy from sunlight to produce food, and in winter there is less light, plants need less water at this time of year. Like many animals, in winter plants want more rest than in other seasons.
I water when the soil has dried out in roughly the top one-third of the pot. However, indoor cacti and succulents need less water than an African violet. This is why knowing each plant’s needs is important.
Observe the light in your house, and choose plants that are appropriate for the space. Lowlight areas are those where there is no direct sun. Medium or filtered light is where sunshine may be coming through a curtain. Bright light is the where indoor sunlight is the strongest. North-facing windows will likely have the least amount of light, west facing the most.
Determine what the light patterns in your house are throughout the day. The places that have the sunlight the longest are the spots for sun-loving plants. And even indoors, sunlight patterns change with the seasons. Here is a link to a good article on light and houseplants: www.thespruce.com/lighting-for-houseplants-1902691
My daughter, who lives in New York and is learning about what grows best in her apartment, loves another website, Homestead Brooklyn (homesteadbrooklyn.com/all?category=garden), which is very informative about growing, cultivating and styling your living space with plants.
Better Homes and Gardens gives a list of some of the easiest-to-grow, cat-friendly plants at www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/15-petfriendly-houseplants-thatadd-green-without-theworry-281474979610304. In my next column I will go into more detail on houseplants for beginners; in the meantime do some research.