We’ll take our gardening inside this week and try to get, and keep, our houseplants in top condition as the dry air of winter surrounds them.

Whether we have wood heat or forced air furnaces, it’s going to be drier inside. I have noticed my summer schedule of weekly inside waterings are now way too few and my larger plants are needing water at two-day intervals. And as much as I like them, they are sometimes forgotten. And seldom are they forgiving.

A useful tip for plants that require increased humidity are acrylic trays, or deep plates, that can have gravel filled bottoms about halfway up the sides. The type of colored gravel most often used in fish aquariums is perfect for this application. It’s strongly recommended that gravel from our yards or driveways not be used, as it frequently has contaminants that can spread to plants. Keep these trays filled with water just up to the top of the gravel — your plants will appreciate this increased humidity.

While the growing cycle of outdoor plants has ceased, most indoor plants will stay healthier if given low doses of fertilizer about once a month. Just use the fertilizer at one-quarter the normal application rate, then along about March we’ll start to increase this.

Routine indoor maintenance should include removing the top layer of soil, when possible, and replacing it with new potting mix. Just replacing the top layer of soil can really rejuvenate a plant that has been in the same pot for years.

Another must-have for indoor maintenance are bonsai or garden tool sets.These miniature tools aren’t just cute, they can be powerful work horses, too! With their tiny design, it becomes possible to get between the small stems of even the most delicate plants for trimming old or dead growth. These tiny tool sets can be purchased online for a very reasonable price. A single pair of trimming snips can cost as little as $8, while sets of up to 20 items can be purchased for less than $30. The items in the accompanying photo were purchased for less than $20. Many online retailers have these small gardening tools.

Have any of your “indoor” plants spent the summer on the deck, or somewhere else outside? If possible, try to isolate them for up to a week from your other indoor plants. This will give you the opportunity to discover what diseases or pests have infiltrated both the upper and lower levels of growth or soil. The hitchhikers can be sneaky, so if you suspect unwelcome guests, isolation will more readily allow you to identify and remove the intruders.

My indoor ferns are struggling to survive in my home, I know they need more watering than I have been giving them. So before I put these tools away, I need to get some trimming done. And watering.

This is all from Grandma, hope your ferns are happier than mine!