Here's why you should be growing plants indoors this winter

It is the rear end of October and global warming be damned, we are indoors for the duration. Exactly how long that might be is anyone's guess; mine is five and a half long, cold dreary months. Whew. For many it means a long respite from yardening. Oh, sure, there is the occasional houseplant to water, but there isn't much gardening in that.

For others — let's call ourselves "homardeners" — the nine months we spend indoors includes as much gardening as we can stand, even given the constraints of winter. The season is, after all, three times longer than the outdoor one. (OK, I agree "homardening" probably won't catch on, but humor me, at least for this one column).

At its core, homardening is the business of growing houseplants, sure. This is not as passive as it might seem. The trick is not to just keep plants going so they merely survive the winter.  No, the idea is to grow plants, in the truest sense of the word; just nursing them along won't do. They are to be nurtured so they can be all they should be, even in the middle of a cold and dark sub-Arctic January.

However, just as warm weather yardeners grow things that flower and produce food, so do homardeners. And, don't forget the colorful foliage. Amaryllis, lilies, cyclamen, pelargoniums (scented and "regular" geraniums"), winter jasmine and more will all flower during the homardening months of January and February. And there are all manner of flowering plants to buy and grow indoors before then. (Chrysanthemums or poinsettias anyone?) Homardeners check out local nurseries and box stores just as yardeners do in the spring and summer.

What house plant doesn't have great foliage? The choices are way too great to list here. Your supermarket, nurseries and big chain stores carry plenty. The trick is to make sure you have thick plastic bags and maybe an ice chest with a heat pack in it to get them home in the cold weather. You can also take cuttings from your friends plants just as you might during the summer months.

And if you want to grow things from seed (just like the yardeners do), it isn't any harder during the winter than in summer. Try coleus. It is an easy plant to grow from seed and you will get some great combinations of colors and patterns. If you have the room under lights, you can grow all manner of annuals.

As for edibles, OK, we may be relegated to growing sprouts in the winter months, but it is something. (I dare say it is also more productive than some yardeners summer vegetable growing efforts.) There are all manner of sprouts to, well, sprout. And don't forget herbs. There are some that are extremely easy to grow and maintain.

Many homardener can't resist growing pits and seeds. It doesn't matter what it is, if there is a pit or seed, it is worthy of an attempt at indoor germination. And, of course, there are things like ginger to grow. You may not get produce from these efforts, but you will enjoy yourself while the ground remains frozen outdoors.

Yes, the homardener needs lights. I am not going to stress over this much anymore, as you can find all manner of indoor grow lights and fixtures in box stores, hardware stores — and now dedicated indoor growing stores. You can convert just about any fixture to a grow apparatus with a simple bulb switch or invest in inexpensive LED or T-5 grow lights or whatever suits your needs and budget. It isn't hard and I don't think this audience needs to be reminded of how long six months without much sunlight really is.

There are also those wonderful "automatic" growing systems, most using hydroponics or aeroponics and designed to fit on a kitchen counter. You can grow herbs and even strawberries in these self-contained units. Or, you can make your own growing set up.

Many homardeners take their horticultural endeavors as seriously as the yardener does her agricultural ones. They get into collecting particular kinds of plants. Some yardeners love to collect dahlias. Homardeners can gather orchids, cacti, epiphyliums, African violets and even cannabis plants (these are varied and beautiful plants) into collections.

I know I lose a lot of yardeners during these cold months. If you are one, I hope to see you on the other side. At least consider becoming a homardener, however (even if it is a silly term). As noted, all it takes is a will to nurture your plants instead of just helping them limp by and an understanding of just how long it will be until we are yardening again. If you decide to stay, I will be here for you.

Jeff’s Alaska Garden Calendar

Lights: Start checking out various options. You will be pleasantly surprised at what is new out there.

Watering indoor plants: I like to let nonwell water sit for a day or so to let the chlorine gas off and to let it reach room temperature. The chloramines left will complex out when they hit the organics in your soil.

Spider mites: Heat goes on in the house and spider mites appear. Actually, they probably have been there all along, but are now breeding in the heat. Look for them under leaves. Azamax or other neem products should work.

Set buds on Thanksgiving cacti and Christmas cacti: Place yours up against a north facing window where it is cool at night. Best to have a 10-degree drop in temperature. Do not disturb with artificial light.

Poinsettias: If you want to try and force yours, place it in total darkness for 14 hours a day.