Arty's Garden: A Solution to the Housing Crisis

Originally published in the Nov. 27, 2013, issue

 

I have a housing crisis.

No, I am not facing foreclosure. My roof is not caving in. I am not under water on my mortgage.

My problem is I don’t have room for all the houseplants I own.

Days before the first cold spell, I began toting tender plants inside. They spent the summer happily outdoors, but are now crowded together in front of my windows elbowing each other for the limited amount of sunlight that penetrates my dark little home. 

Over the years the plants that require winter protection increased in size and number to the point where I must make some difficult choices: Should I get rid of some of them? Get a bigger house? Build a greenhouse? I made the obvious (and most economical) choice – I brought plants to the office. 

With large, east-facing windows that receive lots of morning sun, and overhead lighting that is on all day, my office is better suited for plants than my house is. They no longer look like huddled horticultural masses yearning to breathe free. 

They also get to act as educational ambassadors. Most people have never seen an olive tree, but the “Little Ollie” dwarf olive that I grew as a pseudo-bonsai for 22 years is a way to inform visitors that Georgia now has olive orchards and is producing olive oil.

The sago palm came from a seed I collected in Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery. I like having a plant linked to the historic cemetery along with the memory of spending time there. I also grew the yellow clivia from seed. A friend indulged and purchased the packet of two – count ’em, two – seeds for $10. An extravagance, but a bargain considering that plants of yellow clivia were selling at that time for about $100 each. The lesson is that many plants, even some houseplants, can be grown from seed and though it may take a little longer, can save you a bundle. 

The wide variety – fishbone plant, jade plant, snake plant, wax begonia, dwarf zamia, amaryllis, clivia, allspice, dieffenbachia, blue myrtle cactus, moon cactus and more – also demonstrates that there are many kinds of indoor plants available at Georgia nurseries and garden centers.

While I now have a “No Vacancy” sign at my house, I know my houseplants will never go homeless. After seeing how they perked up my office, co-workers are stepping forward take in any plants that need a place to live in the future. 

Arty Schronce is the Department’s resident gardening expert. He’s a lifelong gardener and a horticulture graduate of North Carolina State University who encourages everyone to discover the pleasures of plants and gardening.