Being a penny-wise gardener, I’m always looking for the best plants and gardening products, as well as ways to make my penny go farther. A great way to enjoy some of my prized annuals longer, is to escort them inside the house with the onset of colder temperatures. Many folks do this with tropicals, but why not bedding annuals? Some annuals have hissy fits when moved inside as a houseplant, and simply die. But others enthusiastically greet this winter greenhouse! Annual geraniums (Pelargonium) are commonly used for indoor décor, but a few others that typically do really well are coleus, impatiens (pictured), fuchsia and wax begonia.
I fell in love with Alternanthera ‘Partytime’ last summer. This head-turner annual has shocking pink and green foliage and thrives in shade. I thought it would make a stunning, low-light houseplant. Here is a picture of one after I potted it up, before moving it inside. Before moving any ‘outsider’ inside, be sure to check for bugs. Either use an organic insecticidal spray or a systemic product on the plant before the relocation. Once inside, many annuals can get leggy over time due to the difference of light intensity. No problem. Just trim then back by half their height and they’ll fill out again.
One key ingredient for flourishing plants is to use premium potting soil. Espoma has many natural and organic potting blends to choose from. I use Espoma’s Organic Potting Mix,which is good for indoor or outdoor plants. I like the fact that it doesn’t have a time-released fertilizer in it, as some plants don’t need this extra food. Instead, it contains Myco-tone, a proprietary blend of 11 different strains of mycorrhizae, which have been proven to promote root growth, increase water uptake, and reduce drought stress and transplant shock. Bingo!
Espoma also has an organic pesticide called Earth-Tone, 3n1 Disease Control for eliminating fungus, insects, and mite problems.
Being a penny-wise gardener, I’m always looking for the best plants and gardening products, as well as ways to make my penny go farther. A great way to enjoy some of my prized annuals longer, is to escort them inside the house with the onset of colder temperatures. Many folks do this with tropicals, but why not bedding annuals? Some annuals have hissy fits when moved inside as a houseplant, and simply die. But others enthusiastically greet this winter greenhouse! Annual geraniums (Pelargonium) are commonly used for indoor décor, but a few others that typically do really well are coleus, impatiens (pictured), fuchsia and wax begonia.
I fell in love with Alternanthera ‘Partytime’ last summer. This head-turner annual has shocking pink and green foliage and thrives in shade. I thought it would make a stunning, low-light houseplant. Here is a picture of one after I potted it up, before moving it inside. Before moving any ‘outsider’ inside, be sure to check for bugs. Either use an organic insecticidal spray or a systemic product on the plant before the relocation. Once inside, many annuals can get leggy over time due to the difference of light intensity. No problem. Just trim then back by half their height and they’ll fill out again.
