Winter Indoor Projects
Sometimes you need to be creative to gardening indoors, so we’ve come up with some fun projects to try in your own home.
Bonsai
Whilst most bonsai plants are strictly outdoors, you can train some indoor plants into bonsais too. Start with small weeping figs, ponytail palms and even parlour palms – all grow easily in very small pots and give you the look without the headache.
Bounty
Whilst it’s true that fruit and vegies need full sun to thrive, and most of us don’t have an glass conservatory to accommodate that, what we nearly all have is a sunny window sill. You can grow broad leaf parsley, mint and basil reasonably well in this situation, as long as you rotate your plants to give them equal light on all sides. You can also raise sprouts in glass jars or sprouting kits, which don’t need sun to germinate, and grow mushrooms from kits…they just need a well ventilated (not windy), dark place to grow.
Terrariums
Ever wanted to be in your own little world? Create your own terrarium and visualize a plant paradise! We have all the tiny plants, mosses, charcoal, pebbles, sands and potting mixes you need, as well as a range of glass vessels, to make your own biosphere bubble. We also stock atomisers so you can refresh your terrarium when necessary.
Kokedama
These Japanese moss balls are on trend. We have a great range for sale, but whynot that hard to make yourself. We have a range of suitable indoor plants, like syngoniums, devil’s ivy, peperomias, and orchids, as well as sphagnum moss, peat moss and string. (link to video clip and SXS web page)
Cactus and Succulent Bowl
These really are ‘set and forget’ plants that thrive as long as they’re getting plenty of light. Try creating your own cactus and succulent landscape, using a variety of types that highlight their textured leaves, various rosettes forms and cascading habits. We have special cactus and succulent potting mix, as well as decorative gravels, and lovely bowls so you can DIY. For fun, place a few feature rocks in your garden, or even a favouritekids toy like a 4WD car.
Bulbs in Jars
Bulbs can make a gorgeous, bespoke flowering arrangement. Think hyacinths in glass jars, daffodils in mini terracotta pots and liliums in ceramic bowls…all of which are perfumed too so you’re home will be lightly scented as well as look great. Growing bulbs in jars is a simple matter of putting some gravel down first, filling the container to about 2/3 full. Then gently bed the bulb down so its stable. Add just enough water so that the base of the bulb is just touching the water level. Top up as needed, but don’t flood your bulb; only add enough water so that the roots can grow into it, but that the bulb itself stays dry. If you like, you can replace the gravel with sphagnum moss, and still water as directed. Bulbs planted throughout autumn and winter will take about 6 weeks to shoot and start flowering, depending how much light they get.
By: Meredith Kirton
