by Evin Morrison, Extension Master Gardener
Photos © Evin Morrison unless otherwise noted
Help . . . Everyone is planting seeds, but I don’t have space for a vegetable garden. Can I plant houseplant seeds?
Yes, if you really want to jump on the seed starting train, there are several options for growing houseplants!
It’s interesting to note that most of the houseplants we buy in stores aren’t grown from seed. Many are propagated from other plants or created through tissue culture. However, new cultivars are often created by breeders mixing pollens and breeding their plants to create new varieties for us to enjoy. So, yes! Many houseplants can be started from seed and grown to be mature plants.
Be very careful when you research to buy seeds, though. With so many fake seeds on the internet, it can be hard to tell if you’re getting scammed. Keep in mind that variegation is not something that is passed as a genetic trait in most plants, so skip “variegated monstera” seeds. Additionally, if the photos look too good to be true, if the colors look out of this world, or the price seems way different than competitors, skip it and save your money. Many times, you’ll get a pack of seeds in the mail, but instead of your “rare” houseplant the only thing to sprout is some version of rye grass.
To start out, cactus seed mixes, asparagus fern seeds, and some philodendron seeds are on the market from trusted sellers and usually have good germination rates. There’s nothing more discouraging than planting a bunch of seeds and getting nothing in return. For the best results, it’s important to follow the directions for germination as written on the seed packets.
Additionally, if you don’t have space outdoors, you can give a window herb garden a try. Many herbs can grow quite happily in a very bright window, and herb seeds are available in most stores. You can start the seeds in a seed starting tray or in the planter you intend for them to live in. Many herbs are considered Mediterranean plants, so indoors it’s important to keep the soil on the grittier side and in the brightest window possible.
Another fun option is a micro dwarf tomato variety, an avocado pit, or saved lemon seeds. Micro dwarf tomatoes stay smaller than a foot tall and can grow in a small container, so they are perfect for a bright kitchen window. You can also save seeds from your salad at lunch to grow. Try suspending an avocado pit over some water to create a tiny avocado tree you can pot into soil once it sprouts roots, a stem, and some leaves. Saved lemon seeds can also reliably be started for a cute kitchen topiary. Simply clean off the excess lemon, peel the outermost layer of the seeds and store in a moist paper towel in a zip plastic bag. Keep them in the fridge until they sprout a few roots and pot them in a small terracotta pot. Maintain watering and they’ll sprout into cluster of lemon-scented leaves.
Gardening indoors or out is just a giant experiment, so have fun and try a few things to see what works. At the end of the day a houseplant is just a plant you bring inside. Not all of them will thrive, but it’s always worth giving it a go.
Help . . . gnats are taking over my home. I don’t know if having houseplants is worth it if I have to put up with these pests!
James Lindsey’s Ecology of Commanster Site
With houseplant pests, it’s not if you’ll have to deal with them, but when. The tiny, annoying gnats flying around are called fungus gnats and they can take over a space in no time flat. But before you toss all your plants outside, there are few ways to keep them under control.
First, if, you can figure out where they are coming from, you can avoid that product or treat that plant more thoroughly. Some bags of soil can introduce them into your home when you repot, some stores are more prone to having fungus gnat problems, and sadly sometimes they just come inside and make themselves at home.
Here’s how to evict them:
- Toss out infested bags of soil.
- Reconsider your watering routine.
Fungus gnats live and breed in the topmost layer of moist soil. If you are prone to overwatering and that soil layer stays wet, you’re creating the perfect breeding ground for pesky houseguests. Spread out the watering and let the top 2” to 3” of soil dry out between waterings. The dry soil will kill larvae and eggs, but it’s not a foolproof strategy because once you water you create the opportunity for the gnats to lay more eggs.
If you don’t mind changing your watering routine drastically, then try bottom watering. With this method, you’ll place your plants in a large container of water and let the soil soak it up from below. You can pull the plant out before the water makes it all the way up to the top layer, avoiding that breeding environment from being created.
- Make Tea.
Bacillus thuringiensis sp israelensis (Bti). It’s a long name for a bacterium that is super effective at killing fungus gnat larvae. Brew up a tea by soaking a Bti product like Mosquito Bits in water overnight. Strain the bits out and use the infused water to give your plants a drink. This “tea” works as a biopesticide and is extremely effective in controlling fungus gnats.
- Catch the ones flying around so they can’t keep breeding.
There are quite a few mechanical ways to trap gnats and you’ll want to utilize one or more in addition to the above fixes. Working in combination to kill the eggs and larvae and the adults is the only way to bring your problem under control.
Bright yellow sticky traps attract the gnats and they get stuck to the paper. Placing these in the soil on a stake is the most effective way to catch gnats as they will get stuck coming or going. Additionally, very effective plug-in lights emit a blue color and attract gnats. They fly into the light and are trapped on a sticky strip built into the light. While the sticky paper works all the time, the light only works at night when the rest of the lights are turned out.
Fungus gnats can be incredibly irritating, but with a few minor adjustments, they’re really easy to get under control.