Houseplants on the Windowsill
By
Amy McDowell
Houseplant is such an ordinary name for
something really wonderful. They are one of the delights that sustain my itch
to garden in winter. My favorites are the philodendrons, and I have a
collection of ten different kinds. There are hundreds of species of
philodendrons, from tiny vines with thumbnail-size leaves to climbing monsters
that can cover a home in a tropical environment.
There are two main reasons I dearly love
philodendrons. I love the way the new leaves emerge and uncurl. That tender new
growth reaching out reminds me of spring. And best of all, philodendrons are
rarely targeted by insects. I have never had insects on my philodendrons,
although some of my other houseplants get to be a mess with pests.
This is the time of year I work on
repotting. With only mountains of catalogs, books, and magazines to keep me
occupied, I enjoy working my hands into the potting soil.
Most houseplants are happiest when their
roots are somewhat snug in their pots, but it is a good idea to slip the root
ball out of the pot annually to take a look. I generally repot a plant once
every three to five years.
The standard rule of thumb is to only go one
pot size larger when repotting. If you transplant into a much larger pot, the
plant sits in the center of all that new soil and struggles to overcome the
transplant shock. The excess soil surrounding the roots holds too much
moisture, and that can lead to root rot.
Many gift plants come in decorative
sleeves that don’t drain. You’ve got to toss the sleeves right into the wastebasket
and give your plant a pot with good drainage and a saucer underneath so you can
dump out the excess water. The pot doesn’t have to be fancy—a healthy
houseplant will become the focal point and a plain plastic pot will fade into
the background.
Tending to houseplants is one of winter’s
joys. With a little care, your windowsill garden can carry your spirit through
until spring.
