May 25, 2004

The right houseplants, growing tips can help any ‘brown thumb’ go green

By Shari Kaplan
Staff Writer

Several friends have complained recently about an affliction called “brown thumb.” Fortunately, this is neither contagious nor untreatable. While it’s impossible to turn into a “green thumb” overnight, a good way people can head in that direction is to build confidence that they are not doomed to kill every plant they touch, no matter how dismal their track record!

An amusingly interesting book published in the 1970s, which is still available from used book sellers or as a lucky thrift shop find, is Maggie Baylis’ “House Plants for the Purple Thumb.” It’s not limited to houseplants, and I don’t know what the color purple did to earn such a degrading label, but it’s a very educational book nonetheless.

Of course, the “Sunset Western Garden Book” is too, except that the hard-to-kill greenery is mixed in with the more fragile and finicky sort.

For those brown (or purple) thumbs with neither books nor the time to study them, here are a few ways to build up that confidence! Before venturing out into the elements, why not start indoors?

Two of the simplest houseplants to grow are mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) and cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior). Sometimes called snake plant for its narrow, twisty leaves with banded coloring, the wryly-named mother-in-law’s tongue is tough, sharp, long-lived and withstands much neglect.

It can grow in many soil types (including outside) and tolerates dry air, irregular watering and fluctuations of both temperature and light. Unless you actively try to kill it, mother-in-law’s tongue will live.

Cast-iron plant has long, glossy, dark green leaves, does well in ambient light and can live its entire life without ever seeing the sun. In fact, it actually dislikes direct sunlight. Cast-iron plant also tolerates dust, hot/cold fluctuations and both over- and under-watering.

Since it grows best with moderate to regular irrigation, it’s less likely to die from the over-watering many houseplants are subjected to by well-meaning owners. It’s also a slow-grower, so troublesome transplanting is few and far-between.

Pothos is another good choice for beginners. Known botanically as Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Aureum,’ it’s related to another classic houseplant: the philodendron. Noted for heart-shaped leaves sometimes variegated with yellow or white, all pothos asks for is bright indirect light (a kitchen is perfect) and regular watering in well-drained soil.

When its trailing vines get too long, simply cut them off, stick them in a glass of water and in a few weeks, they’ll sprout roots from numerous nodules along the stems. Although some people leave pothos cuttings in water indefinitely, it’s better to return them to the soil otherwise they may rot, especially if the water is not changed often.

Speaking of water, here are two tips from which all houseplants can benefit. First of all, make sure any container, whether clay or plastic, has at least one drainage hole, otherwise root rot is inevitable. (Clay pots are best, since they let soil breathe.) It’s also unhealthy for the roots when pots are allowed to sit in drainage saucers full of water.

Secondly, if your house has a water softener, don’t make tap water the only drink you give your plants. It’s fine to quench their thirst with tap water sometimes, but try to alternate it with distilled water, spring water or simply water from the garden house, which generally is not hooked up to the soft water supply. The idea is to prevent the soil from becoming saline, a slow but steady process that can eventually damage plants.

Next month, we’ll move from the indoor realm to the outdoor one—where there are plenty of trees and flowers to grow that are easy on the eyes as well as the thumb!