2022 Spring Home and Garden

Page 16 2022 Spring Home and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April / May 2022 2022 Spring Home and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April / May 2022 Page 17 And speaking of wooden containers, consider looking outside for your planting needs. If you’re lucky enough to have an old stump in your yard, it can always be turned into a home for another lucky plant or two. For hanging plants, it’s actually relatively easy to attach bits of rope or chain to a container to be hung. Even if you decide to buy a hangar instead of doing it yourself, they aren’t that expensive, and come in a variety of materials and lengths for any needs. However you decide to plant your indoor garden, make sure that you have some way to drain surplus water so roots do not sit in water. Double pot solid containers. The inner container should have holes in bottom so that excess water can drain. Pebble or charcoal bits can be used elevate the pot above any excess water, or the excess water of small planters can be dumped after drainage is complete. When it comes to indoor planting, you certainly don’t have to break the bank to brighten up your home. Sticking with simple plants and looking at what you already have in containers can look good and reflect your personality. [Derek Hurley] mid-bloom. Again, they are capable of multiple blooms per year, so long as they are properly taken care of. This means trimming off dying pieces and making sure the soil has enough nutrients, and that the sunlight is just right. These plants are a little more fickle, but worth the effort in the long run. One last example is the dragon tree plant. Dragon trees are also colorful plants, coming in a range of greens and yellows. Depending on the species, they also feature shades of orange or red. They do not need frequent watering, and prefer watering when the top inch or so is dry. Dragon tree plants aren’t really trees, but they do look like them, featuring trunk-like stems and thin, long leaves. They don’t need a lot of light and can thrive in corners, so they are perfect for low-light rooms, or areas with plenty of space. But they are also potentially taller than a lot of other indoor plants. This means choosing a series of planters, should you need to transplant it in the future. However, they do grow very slowly, years to gain a foot, so you should have plenty of time to figure out when to transplant. Once you’ve picked out your plants, you’ll need a planter or two as they grow. Again, if the goal is help save money, an easy way to provide a relatively inexpensive yet still useful home for your plants is to repurpose other materials. You’d be surprised at what simple things most people have laying around the home that can be used to contain an indoor plant. For example, most of us have a variety of old cans, jars, and bottles taking up space that we’ve been meaning to throw away. These old containers make for a good planter for certain kinds of plants. You may decide to decorate with a bit of paint or some added material attached to the outside, or not. After all, old containers can help provide a rustic look to go with plants, if that’s something you care about. Alternatively, search the cabinets for old coffee mugs and kitchen supplies. Older items, especially if they’re made of metal or ceramic, make for excellent makeshift pots. Old crates can make good planters as well. Wooden boxes, if properly stored and cared for, can last a long time, and can make excellent spaces for plants large and small. CONTINUED u