Fun With Houseplants

It’s January. Too early to start most seeds indoors, too cold to put plants in the ground outside. Yet we want to do something life-affirming with plants at this time of year! Fortunately, we can turn to our houseplants. Here are 5 ways to lift your mood and focus on the positive in mid-January.

1. Try a New Houseplant

There are so many wonderful varieties available, that you’re bound to find something that you haven’t grown before. And if you’ve had success with a particular type of plant in the past, it’s likely that you’ll be able to find one in the same genus but with colorful foliage or a different growth habit. New varieties are being introduced by our growers all the time, and we’re happy to get those into our collection for those on Cape Cod who are searching for a great selection of houseplants.

2. Clean and Rearrange Your Plants to Make a New Display

This is a good time of year to do a bit of houseplant maintenance and staging. Clip off browned or fading leaves, rotate pots that are leaning toward the windows, and wipe off dust. If you remove plants one at a time and clean them up, then you can take the opportunity to stage the plants so that you have an attractive arrangement. Consider getting some new pots that will coordinate with each other and the colors of your rooms.

3. Add Seasonal Blooming Plants for Color and Fragrance

It may only be January, but most of us are already leaning toward spring. In our front greenhouse, we continue to offer seasonal, flowering plants that are cheerful…and many of them have a sweet fragrance as well. Use the fragrant yellow primroses, or the taller varieties that are called fairy primrose ( (Primula malacoides) , to brighten a houseplant display or create a promise of spring on the sill above the kitchen sink.

4. Group Plants on a Tray for Ease of Watering

In order to keep your plants in good health, thorough watering is essential. That calls for either large saucers underneath your pots, or a tray that will take any overflow. Or both! We have plastic trays in assorted colors and sizes that make the watering of houseplants easier.

5. Elevate! Use Plant Stands or Hanging Pots to Bring Plants UP

You can fit more plants into a window by putting a plant stand on one of the trays. The stand can hold one plant up above while providing room and light for another down below. Hanging baskets can also be used to hold a cascading plant up above others in a window.

Join C.L. Fornari on Friday, January 17th at 5 PM for a free, virtual Houseplant Happy Hour. Register here to receive the link to join in on the fun.

Just For Fun…A Houseplant Flow Chart