Carrie Barre-LiBaire's Gardening Column

Down to Earth Gardening

’Tis the season to be shopping, and as I’ve been making my rounds I have come across a number of tiny little “Living Christmas” trees for sale. These usually come sprayed with glitter and decorated with a few ornaments. At first I dismissed them as something that might live until December 26th, so I was surprised to find that the Norfolk Island pine can make a very nice houseplant. I purchased a few, and since the care instructions are too small to read without the aid of a microscope, I thought I would share what I have learned about them.

The Norfolk Island pine is native to Australia and the nearby Norfolk Islands. In its native habitat it can grow up to 200 feet tall, but don’t try to plant it outside here because it will not survive our winters. They usually come as multiple seedlings, which you should either separate (free plants) or cut off all but one. It will be happiest in a warm sunny area, though should do fine in lower light. If the tips of new growth begin to brown, it could be from lack of humidity, so misting or keeping a humidifier near will be beneficial. They like humidity, but do let the soil surface dry out between waterings.

This is also a good idea if you happen to see small fruit-fly type insects around your houseplants this time of year. One of my plants in the office had them a few weeks ago. The culprits are fungus gnats, and are only considered to be a nuisance. Fungus gnats are slightly larger than fruit flies and resemble mosquitoes. They feed on decaying or damaged roots or in potting soil that has a high amount of organic matter, like peat. They don’t feed on healthy roots, but they also don’t cause any further damage.

Adult fungus gnats can’t fly very far from where its larvae are developing, so it’s fairly easy to determine where they are coming from. I blow on the plant in question (but pull back fast or you’ll wind up with a face full of them) to see if that plant is infested. It’s usually a case of the soil being too wet, so I cut back on my watering and really let the plant dry out, but not to the point it wilts. This takes care of them, usually in about a week. There are insecticides available, but some treat only the adults and others treat only the larvae, so unless you have an excessive amount of them, the dry out method is preferred.

A good method for knowing when to water your houseplants is to lift them to see how light or heavy they are. With changing temperatures, fluctuating humidity levels and forced air, this is a better method than keeping a strict watering schedule. Once you become familiar with the weight differences it really takes the guesswork out knowing what your plant needs to keep it happy during the winter.

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