This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne shares her passion for indoor gardening with practical winter houseplant care tips and a reminder that there's always something new to learn and grow.

Topics discussed:

1. From Annuals to Houseplants

• It's time to turn your attention to houseplants as gardening shifts indoors.
• Don't rush out to buy new plants: friends and family often have extras or cuttings to share.

2. Winter Care Basics

• During shorter days and lower light levels, houseplants slow down their growth.
• Do not fertilize in winter; they're not actively growing.
• Keep watering moderately: it's better to underwater than overwater.
• Use a moisture meter or finger test to check the soil before watering.

3. Refresh and Repot

• Check plants for dryness, dust, or signs they've outgrown their pots.
• Wipe dusty leaves with a damp cloth to help them absorb light.
• Consider repotting if roots are showing through the drainage holes.
• Use potting soil, not garden soil, and choose soil types suited to plant varieties (succulents, orchids, etc.).
• Avoid decorative pots without drainage for valuable plants.

4. Easy Propagation and Gift Ideas

• Take cuttings from plants like pothos, philodendron, and peperomia.
• Start them in water using clear containers to monitor root growth.
• Plant swaps are a fun and inexpensive way to expand your collection.
• Propagated plants make meaningful, affordable holiday gifts.

5. Learning and Experimenting

• Joanne shares her experiences with low-maintenance plants (snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos).
• Recently inspired to try more demanding varieties like Alocasia.
• Discusses challenges like insect issues and learning about proper soil mixes.

6. The Joy and Benefits of Houseplants

• Houseplants add life, colour, and calm to indoor spaces during the winter.
• Handling soil can improve mood and mental health.
• Every room benefits from having at least one plant.
• Notes the outdated NASA air-purifying study—plants don't clean air significantly but do add humidity and beauty.

Resources Mentioned in the Show: Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Have a topic you'd like me to discuss?

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca

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Down the Garden Path Podcast

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible.

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

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