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Plants That Earn Their Keep

© Norine Woods

Nothing could be lovelier than a plant in full bloom on the dining room table. There's an endless array of foliage plants, from the daintiest of ferns to tall, stalwart palms to that prickly cactus garden in the south window.

But your houseplants can be useful as well as ornamental. If you live in a small place, why not grow a few edible plants as well as your leafy and flowering beauties? Many of these are very attractive.

Vegetables can be grown indoors. Choose small varieties like radishes, or bushy rather than vine plants like beans. You'll find a list of preferred varieties here: http://www.naturalland.com/gv/tt/contgar...

The important thing with growing plants indoors is the necessity for proper containers (with proper drain holes,) and fertiliser and remembering when and how much to water. South Carolina University has some excellent tips on all of these things. There is another gardening tip sheet here: http://www.natorp.com/tipSheets/ContVeg....

Many herbs are small compact plants that lend themselves naturally to a pot on the windowsill or a tub on the patio. You can find out all about herbs, from growing to medicinal and ornamental uses in the Herbal Encyclopaedia.

You can even grow fruit indoors. Dwarf or miniature varieties of fruit trees and small fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, currants and gooseberries all make flavourful additions to your houseplant list. A hanging basket of strawberries (or tomatoes) is very eye appealing with the green foliage and red fruit. Strawberries can also be grown in pots or tubs.

And, when it comes to gardening and useful plants, there are even plants that kill or repel insects (above and beyond the familiar Venus Flytrap.)

For detailed information on all your container gardening questions, visit the new online site called Windowbox or pay a visit to Ann Cherin's Container Gardening site at Suite 101 and add a bit of flavour to your houseplants.

The copyright of the article Plants That Earn Their Keep in Houseplants is owned by Norine Woods. Permission to republish Plants That Earn Their Keep in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.