Choosing and caring for indoor plants doesn’t require a green thumb

Winter in the garden can be a little glum. There are plenty of gritty chores, like pruning - not one of the most rewarding things a gardener can do. Aside from the camellias and maybe a few winter annuals, the landscape is barren and asleep.

If you’re missing the feeling of your fingers in dirt and the sight of thriving greenery, up your gardening game by moving it indoors.

Houseplants can clean and oxygenate the indoor air, offer a focal point in a corner, hide a problem, add a note of color or serve as a design element on a tabletop or shelf.

Some plants are even artistic, adding texture and a sculptural element at minimal cost. And the weeks after the holidays seem to be the high season for houseplants.

“We sell more houseplants now than almost any other time of year,” said Susan Hatch, manager of King’s Nursery in Santa Rosa. A fan of both indoor and outdoor gardening, she has some 50 plants of all sizes in her own home.

“People take down their Christmas things and they find the house less fluffy. There are gaps (in the decor) and they like having a statement.”

We may pay more attention to individual plants when they are indoors because they stand out so much more than a single plant in a garden bed filled with plants.

“You tend to go look and see each new leaf,” Hatch said. “And if you’ve got the right light, which is really important, it’s a nurturing thing you can do when it’s cold and dark. This time of year, nobody wants to go out and rake leaves and prune roses.”

You can fuss with your houseplants, experimenting with different pots and locations or vignettes. Pots are important for establishing a look. Are you into sleek and modern or something colorful, like Talavera or Deruta pottery? To be on trend, look for pots in various shades of white, gray or black.

Millennial trend

Houseplants are particularly hot with younger adults. Priced out of the homebuying market and crowded into urban lofts or apartments with little or no yard for outdoor gardening, millennials and Gen Yers are turning to indoor plants to make a rental feel homey, said Hatch, who follows the trend through Instagram and the Facebook group Houseplant Addicts.

Some aspirational 20- and 30-somethings are willing to spend big money for trendy, hard-to-find Instagram-worthy varieties.

“The youngest group of our clients are here for houseplants,” Hatch said. “They come in with pictures on their phone asking, ‘Do you have one of these?’ It’s really cray. Some are rare plants we can’t even get.”

One plant under hot pursuit is the variegated Split Leaf Philodendon. Made popular by social media buzz, a single plant can set you back several hundred dollars.

But for the rest of the us, there are plenty of off-the-shelf houseplants that are cool, easy-care and don’t cost a day’s wages.

Indoor tips

It’s not that difficult to master the art of indoor gardening if you understand a few principles and get to know your plant and its needs.

“Most people think they’re harder to grow than they actually are,” said Molly Bockelman of Prickett’s Nursery in Healdsburg. “That’s where over-loving comes into play. You have to have the right soil. With most, you just want to leave them alone. The more you fuss with them, the harder they are.”

A lot of people kill plants because they try too hard, overwatering or leaving plants sitting in a puddle in their drip dishes, for example. Don’t do that. Like many plants, houseplants don’t like wet feet. Bockelman recommends walking away after you’ve watered and return half an hour later to throw out any extra water that has accumulated in the dish.

Also, put your plant in the right-sized pot. Potted plants are happiest when they’re a little rootbound.

“They like being kind of tight. They don’t like to have too much soil,” Brockelman said. She recommends that when repotting, go up in size only 2 to 4 inches. If you have a plant in a 6-inch pot, replant it in an 8- to 10-inch pot. If there is too much space and soil, it will throw off your watering and the soil could retain too much moisture.

Plants to try

So what plants should you start with for fool-proof indoor greenery?

Sanseveria or snake plant (also called mother-in-law’s tongue): A no-fail plant, this succulent survives in difficult spots with little light or water. A drink once a month will do it. NASA gave Sanseveria a boost when it listed this plant as good for air cleaning. Plant it in cactus soil.

Draecena: It’s hard to mess up with this low-maintenance plant that comes in different varieties, some short and some the size of a small tree. Although slow-growing, Draecena can reach 6 to 10 feet tall. Sometimes you’ll see several that have been cultivated together with braided trunks. They are known for removing paint and leather fumes from the air. Narrow in size, they make a nice addition to a corner or next to a fireplace or TV and look sharp in white pots on wood floors.

Philodendron: A popular houseplant for generations, it is easy to care for and adaptable. They come in many beautiful colors and have heart-shaped leaves. They make good hanging plants, too, and can trail all over a room, so keep them trimmed. One idea is to pot them in the newer, less-ornamental generation of macrame hangers. A popular variety is Monstra, with huge leaves that have perfect holes.

Fiddle leaf fig or fiddly fig: A member of the ficus family, Ficus lyrata is popular with plant fashionistas. The plant has big, round rubbery leaves and is all the rage in designer magazines. Climbing to 6 feet or more, they can easily be over-loved. Water them only once a month.

Hoya: Another good hanging plant, these are a great choice if you want fragrance. They produce big lusters of tiny pink flowers and come in a several varieties, including variegated, with white edges on green leaves. Another popular variety is the curly-leafed Hindu rope and Kerri, with heart-shaped leaves. They need light, so place them near a window and water only once a month, twice in summer.

String of pearls: A succulent that resembles trailing beads on a slender stem, this plant needs bright light but little water.

Pothos: One of the easiest of all houseplants to grow, it’s a trailing vine with pointed, heart-shaped green leaves, some variegated. They like bright, indirect light but can thrive in areas without a lot of sunlight. If you tend to neglect watering, this is your plant, as it will survive with very little or sporadic watering.

Ficus: This is a go-to plant for indoors, but not everyone is successful growing them. They can be finicky about temperature, so don’t put them beside a fireplace, heater or open door. They’re happiest at a steady 75 degrees.

ZZ plant: Also known as Zamioculus, this trendy tabletop plant is upright with good architecture. It’s easy to grow and can take low light.