Gardening with Allen: Indoor blooms brighten dark days

My gardening wife gets moody when the weather keeps her inside. How do you cope?

When it gets cold and wet outside my indoor gardening activity ramps up. I have more indoor plants that get my attention. In addition to my regular indoor green plants, I like to have several flowering plants around to look after.

Orchids are my favorite because they bloom for such a long time. I can buy a small blooming orchid for less than $20. I look for plants that have a lot of unopened flower buds to spread out the blooming time. We have several orchid plants that have finished blooming. My wife can’t bear to throw away a live plant. To me it is not worth the effort to keep a plant for a whole year to get a repeat bloom.

African violets can also be purchased in full bloom with lots of buds to extend their color. Their repeat bloom time is much shorter than orchids. Another thing that is fun about African violets is how easy it is to start new plants with a single leaf. Just stick a leaf or several leaves into a small pot filled with potting soil and place a clear plastic bag over it.

I sometimes bring in individual plants of fibrous or tuberous begonias before the frost kills them. I also purchase Rex and Hiemalis begonias. Rex begonias are grown for their colorful leaves. The Hiemalis begonia is a cross between a wax begonia and a tuberous begonia. It is prized for its waxy green foliage and brightly colored flowers.

Orchids, African violets and begonias all grow under low-light conditions. They do well with strong indirect light such as a north or east facing window or a little distance back from a south or west window.

I place a small table in front of a southwest facing window this time of year where I can put flowering plants that need stronger light, like chrysanthemum, cyclamen, kalanchoe and jasmine. Shades and curtains are fully open in the daytime so they get plenty of light.

Cyclamen is a type of bulb plant that is popular because it provides up to eight weeks of brilliant colors. Stores stock cyclamen from October until Christmas. Cyclamen have swept-back flowers that resemble shooting stars, and the leaves have beautiful silvery patterns.

Kalanchoe plants are sold in bloom throughout the year and are one of our most popular indoor, flowering houseplants. It is a close relative of the jade plant. This is an easy-care, succulent plant that likes full sun. Make sure soil is dry on top before watering.

Chrysanthemums are available year round and typically stay in bloom for about six weeks.

Your wife should perk up if you bring home some flowering indoor plants.

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