Planning Your Autumn Indoor Plant Garden
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Fair-weather gardeners give up on their gardens in the autumn and go the way of the wind that carries away that falling foliage. More fun for the rest of us who love the autumnal colors and plants. While outdoor gardening can become rather challenging—storms, floods, sleet and frost, bringing an autumn garden inside brightens any home. Just choose your plants for color of bloom, if any, foliage and light requirements, and you can enjoy your autumn garden in any room—or all of rooms—in your house.
1. Crotons: Brilliant multi-color schemes in each leaf, this lovely plant loves bright light and moist soil. Sit this plant in the sun for two or three hours each day, and so long as you watch the moist soil, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy bright, cheery autumn colors to chase away those winter doldrums.
Start small with four-inch pots, expand by cache-potting and join the plant with others for a marvelous bouquet look.
Note: If leaves fall, consider watering it. It hates a dry soil.
2. Dracaenas: The slender, pointed leaves whose hues reaching from colorful stripes or a deep burgundy tease the eye away from the rain outside, which is precisely why you have an autumn garden in your house. Keep the plant near bright light, and it is quite happy. Turn regularly to promote even growth. Use these spectacular plants in small, two- or four-inch pots as accents between broad-leaf plants for special attention. Just make sure the other plants also like bright light and the same water level in the soil: When it gets dry, moisten it. Consistency without rotting is what counts—not “flood or famine.”
If mixed with other plants, keeping this in its own pot can help even out any moisture level differences, but all the plants must like that bright light to thrive.
3. Philodendron: Three fantastic varieties to use inside are the ‘Black Cardinal,’ ‘Prince of Orange’ and ‘Moonlight.’ Intersperse or layer these three plants and gain a mix of texture and color contrasts and complements all in one. Add shape and color contrasts even further by “accessorizing” the pot with figurines or fruits.
Tip: Before adding potting soil to a cache pot intended for philodendrons, line the pot with plastic to protect your furniture. If the pot uses a catch plate, line the catch plate instead then “hide” the plastic with decorative molding or colored foil.
Place these beauties in a place that grants bright light but not in direct sunlight. Keep the soil slightly damp, but do not let the plants sit in a pool of water. Every few weeks, give their leaves a good dusting to remove not only the dust but the tiny insects that can harm the plants.
Many people use corncobs, miniature pumpkins and gourds to decorate their pots or the area around them. If you want those splashes of color near the green foliage, the blend can work well. Just make sure the vegetables are fully dehydrated prior to use. Otherwise the slow rot and insects can make that decision a poor one.
Continue engaging your love of gardening this fall by bringing your garden indoors!
This article was contributed by Sara Woods from Coupon Croc. Have a green thumb? Shop online and save when you use a Littlewoods discount code.


