House Plants

How I wish I could bring this gorgeous Boston Fern inside my house for the winter. I adore Boston Ferns and this one is especially nice. I already found a home for my other one which was in a hanging pot. Tomorrow I will take this one to my favourite massage therapist. She thought I just wanted someone to keep it alive over the winter. I told her, "Nope. It is yours. Kill it; give it away, I don't care." At least with her, it has a chance.

I am no good with house plants. My first was an African Violet Mom gave me for my room when I was 13. Ummm, I think it survived a month. After that I didn't have a house plant again until after I was married. Someone told me "You can't kill a philodendron." Oh yeah?

I don't know what I do wrong. Over water? Under water? Too hot? Not enough sun? Both my Grandmothers were good with houseplants, especially Grandma Ridnour. She was exceptional with flowers inside and outdoors. Her south and east porch windows and south living room window were full of plants she brought inside for the winter. Mom kept up her Mother's tradition; slipping sultanas and geraniums in the fall and keeping them thriving until time to set them outside the following spring; potting up small palms and dieffenbachias until they were the size of trees.

Grandma Lynam had an ivy setting on her buffet in the dining room. (The same buffet I now proudly have in my DR along with her DR table.) Her ivy grew from the pot up the side of a window, over the top of it and another window and down the other side. I don't know how many years it took to grow it to that length. She was also good with African Violets.

Over the years, in many different houses, I've tried to keep house plants alive with varying success; mostly poor. I did bring one plant inside last year. When we moved I took a start from the pussy willow tree I planted after Mom died. I wanted to get it started good and then set it outside this spring. It was dead before Thanksgiving.

That is why, no matter how pretty and healthy the plants are out there on my patio, they will stay until a hard freeze gets them. I've learned to let them go and start over anew in the spring. I'm just happy this Boston Fern will at least have a chance.