Relieving gardener's itch indoors

This time of year always inspires me to grow and plant. I used to think the craving came from perusing glossy seed catalogues with images of blousy roses and luscious tomatoes.

I stopped buying those catalogues when I moved into an apartment. There was no point in teasing myself with beautiful flowers and taste-tempting vegetables I could never grow.

But despite this, the urge still hits me in late winter and early spring. Why? Maybe it's the stirring of new growth among my houseplants, resurrecting my spirit from winter doldrums, rejuvenating my belief in the miracles of beauty and life. Or maybe it's something hormonal, increasing daylight triggering the part of my brain that seeks new beginnings in the preparation of a seed flat.

Whatever the cause, it aches.

Even for apartment-bound dwellers like me, the malady isn't hopeless. A balcony or stoop provides opportunities for a container garden. Failing that, a window box or a few hanging houseplants can provide some relief.

Now is the right time of year for repotting, pruning and propogating most indoor plants anyway. Pinch back your leggy Tradescantia and root the cuttings in a glass of water; once they have a couple inches of roots, move them into a pot of their own. Or divide that crowded parlour palm and make twin sentinels, one for each side of a bright window.

Tropical plant seeds, widely available in Third-World art and craft stores, can be started in small pots. Cover them with small plastic bags to maintain moisture and humidity, and place them on top of the refrigerator to supply bottom heat. Once the seedlings emerge, remove the plastic and place the pots in a brighter location.

I have several South windows in my apartment, their bright aspects allowing me to grow many things which otherwise would be impossible indoors. This year I'm going to try growing herbs and lettuce from seeds, along with coleus to provide some bright foliage.

The ancient Chinese and Japanese art of bonsai is another way of bringing the landscape indoors. While most traditional bonsai plants, those exquisite miniature pines, cedars and junipers, are not adapted for indoor life and will not survive if you try to grow them there all year, many tropical houseplants lend themselves to bonsai style. Schefflera, Ficus benjamina and coffee plant are a few examples. If bonsai demand more time and attention than other plants, maybe that's what some of us urban residents need to satisfy our nurturing instincts.

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