You would be mistaken, say experts. In his indoor gardening talks, Jeff de Jong tries to help people understand that not anything goes indoors. “The climate is dry and our homes are dry,” he explains.

The popular Alberta gardening expert teaches horticulture at Olds College’s School of Horticulture.  He also consults privately on indoor gardening in homes and condos. Recently, Condo Living asked his advice on choosing and caring for indoor plants in condos.

Generally, he advises condo owners seek out plants that are tolerant of drought-like conditions and low light levels. “Not every place is ideal for plants, “he says. “Buying plants takes a little bit of trial and error. If you find a plant that likes the conditions then there’s no reason it can’t be around for several years.”
 
Choosing well
What are the latest Alberta trends in indoor gardening? One trend, de Jong suggests, is choosing foliage that is bright, green, healthy, unusual and visually interesting.

Another current trend is matching your plants to your condo’s interior style. For example, with a California look, cactus type plants might work well.  While Boston ferns might be better suited to a very traditional, comfy, cosy home.
“(Choose) whatever plant accentuates the design of your house,” advises de Jong. “Before people would bring home what the garden centre had. Now there are so many different choices (in plants) it can be overwhelming.”

Keep in mind, he says, that poisonous and cactus type plants aren’t friendly to children and pets.  Remember too, that not all plants are evergreen. So if you don’t like picking up leaves, don’t buy a ficus, a deciduous plant that sheds its leaves.

With people’s busy lives, house plants that require low care seem increasingly popular.  And de Jong recommends, for example, the cast iron plant, a small plant that works well in low light.

Taking care
“Our homes are getting smaller so there’s no room to bring in plants that will be sprawling all over the place.”  He refers to homeowners allowing the popular yucca plants to grow uncontrollably without cutting them back.
For the dry air challenge, de Jong strongly advises against misting plants using tap water. Scales will likely develop on the leaves, leading to dehydration so instead use a waterproof tray with pebbles.
Don’t kill your plants with too much watering—let them dry out and then water them. Avoid spraying leaves, he adds, rather use a damp cloth to wipe the leaves.

Culinary gardens
“More people are growing culinary gardens,” says de Jong. “So many Mediterrean herbs are perfectly suited to the dry conditions we have here.” The herbs should sit on a window or counter and get four to five hours of light.

The exotic orchid
“If you don’t have a lot of room for plants and you’re trying to simplify, orchids are beautiful,” he says.  Orchids flower three to four months and can tolerate low light and
drier conditions.

For orchids, de Jong highly recommends Paramount Orchids, which boasts approximately 50,000 orchids in four greenhouses. The company is usually open to the public weekends or by appointment so call first to check their hours. 

New braiding types
Janette Eby, annuals and tropicals buyer at Golden Acre Garden Sentre, has acquired expert knowledge of what plants will and won’t work indoors in Calgary.

“Condo owners are still using plants (indoors) to soften the edges and create a nice atmosphere.”

For condo owners, she advises they invest in “plants that aren’t going to outgrow small areas quickly.” Eby admits some of the center’s bestsellers for condos are the hardiest plants that don’t need a lot of care and maintenance.

Among the tougher plants she recommends are snake plants, yuccas and yucca canes. “The braided type of plants are aesthetically pleasing.  They add a bit of a nice look.  A new popular plant is the pachira, a feng shui type of plant. The Hawaiian schefflera is a leafy tree with a braided trunk.” Another newer tougher plant, she says, is the zamifolia, a hardy, thick leafed, succulent.

At Hole’s Greenhouses and Gardens, Bob Stadnyk, buyer merchandiser of perennials and indoor plants, assists many Edmonton condo owners in their plant shopping.

“If your condo is south facing and there’s a lot of light, you can grow almost anything,” says Stadnyk. “Cactus, succulents, blooming hibiscus, orchids ... If a person really wants a harbinger of spring, there are potted bulbs like daffodils and crocuses.”

Edmonton homeowners are extending their indoor gardens outdoors, he says, with similar looking plants outside. “They’re buying hanging plants, like spider plants and ivy, for air purification in their homes and condos.”
“People are keeping their indoor gardens simple, not cluttering them up, simple and elegant.”


For more information:
www.oldscollege.ab.ca
www.paramountorchids.com
www.goldenacre.ca
www.holesonline.com