Brian Minter: Cooler season means shifting to colourful plants indoors

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As darker, chillier conditions outside make it less pleasant to enjoy our gardens, it’s time to turn our attention indoors.

Cooler outdoor temperatures and shorter days also contribute to less-than-perfect indoor growing conditions, but with a few adjustments and wise plant choices, we can enjoy some great winter colour for the next few months.

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Running our homes just a few degrees cooler will help improve humidity and save on energy bills. Opening  blinds and curtains during daylight hours will improve light quality, which really helps all plants to continue growing. Keeping the heat vents closed or at least partly closed near your windows will contribute to a better plant environment because repositioning all our indoor plants near direct and indirect window light will also make a huge difference in their winter growth habits.

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Contrary to popular thinking, keeping all your plants root-bound in smaller pots over winter is just fine. Repotting into larger containers over the next few months is one of the worst things you can do. Plants love to be a bit root-bound in the comfort zone of their containers to keep them growing.

Watering also needs to be adjusted this time of year. The best rule of thumb for plants in liftable pots is to lift the pot, feel the weight, and only if it is relatively light, give it a drink of warm water. If it’s heavy, do not water it. When you are watering, do so thoroughly to leach out the salts from your soil to prevent root burn. For larger plants a weekly check is adequate and even succulents, especially aloe vera, and cacti need to be monitored weekly and watered in the same way.

By creating a suitable indoor environment for this challenging time of year, there are some remarkable plants we can enjoy indoors over the winter months. Streptocarpus, or Cape Primroses, are one of my favourites. The many new hybrids have a wide range of fabulous new colours and bicolors. In a bright window they will continue to bloom all winter. As each stem of multiple blossoms finishes it needs to be removed to keep the plant looking fresh and to allow new budded stems to develop. Similar to African violets, they don’t like cold water on their foliage, but they out-flower virtually any other plant and make valuable shade lovers in your outdoor garden come spring.

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Tsillandsias are a very large genus of the bromeliad family and native to South America and Mexico. Most of them are ephiphytes which hang from tree branches. They need humidity so require regular misting. Most of the four main families are sold as individual plants which are meant to be mounted on bits of driftwood or placed in hanging glass balls to hang from interesting branches. Many have stunningly beautiful stems and foliage in rich colours of red, pink, coral, and deep burgundy. Some varieties like ionantha brachycaulos and i. Guatemala have beautiful blue and hot-pink flowers. The blooms last for weeks and the stems and leaves retain their colour all year. Tsillandias need minimal care and are happiest near a kitchen sink window with all the extra humidity. Initially they will have to be misted with warm water two to three times a day, but once acclimatized, they need little attention. If you are away for a period and the tsillandsia dries out, simply submerge it in warm water until it revives.

Bromeliads also make colourful, easy-care indoor plants. Related to the pineapple family, there are numerous species, but I love the smaller varieties which come in a range of foliage colours and all of which produce colourful flowers in the centre which last for months. Once this inflorescence is spent, simply cut it back, enjoy the foliage, and over time, side shoots will appear from the bottom.

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As for care, all you need to do is keep the soil moist and make sure tepid water sits in the centre cups of the plant foliage so it can drink.

A wide range of cactus and winter resilient succulents are still very popular, partly because of their many unique forms and colourful bodies and stems. They are very attractive and do need your brightest windowsill all year round. If you can keep them cool, in the range of 10-12 C, from November through February, they will develop flower buds which open in late winter and early spring.

The first zygocactus, Schlumbergera truncatus, are now in bloom with vibrant colours from red, orange and pink to yellow. Kept cool and moist, along with occasional misting, this rainforest native will bloom for weeks. Once finished flowering, if you can maintain the cool and keep them well lighted, they will re-bloom in early spring.

A little harder to find is the true Christmas Cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii. It only comes in one colour, a hot-pink cerise, and blooms just in time for the season for a sensational winter display.

One of the best for winter colour are the very large family of orchids, particularly phalaenopsis. Few other plants can provide continuous colour for many months. Local growers are producing a fabulous selection of colours available in smaller 4” and 6” pots which are ideal for small space desk and tabletops and windowsills. Kept cool and humid with minimal watering, phalaenopsis are easy to care for and are the ultimate in class.

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When the outdoor beauty begins to lose its colour, it’s great to create a vibrant, yet easy-care environment for indoor greenery. A good selection of just a few plants in the right locations can make a huge difference to both you and your home.

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