Kids in the Garden, Ep 15: Growing plants indoors

NICK HARDCASTLE:

Uh? Hm? You might be wondering what I'm doing in the city. Or you might not. But gardens can pop up in the strangest places. In fact, you can practically bring the bush indoors. Check this out. This slice of rainforest is under a huge glass roof to protect it from the chills and wind. So even when the temperature's dropping outside, in here it stays summery and warm all year round. Here they've created a microclimate so that plants that normally grow in a forest can grow indoors in this city building. It's like walking through a rainforest from one office to the other. There's a stream and a watering system to keep the plants moist, and a ventilator at the top of the glass dome to take out the hot air. It's just like a big greenhouse. Greenhouses have a long history. They're used to grow plants out of season and to grow those plants that only grow well in hot conditions. With a greenhouse, you never really have to worry about the weather. If the wind's blowing or it's pouring outside, inside only the sunlight can get through. Jungle plants thrive in hot, humid conditions. Cold chills will kill them. The same goes for cacti, but they like the heat to be dry and deserty. In hot, tropical or arid areas, it's the other way around. You need to cool things down, so a shade house is useful to grow plants from cooler climates. Now, of course, you don't need a big glass roof — you can grow them at home in pots. You just need to follow some simple rules. Use a good-quality mix — not just soil from the garden. They need sunlight, water and to be fed regularly. So try a liquid fertiliser every two to three weeks. Don't let them dry out. Nature's blessed us with an instrument to test them — poke your finger in, down to your second knuckle, and just make sure they're moist. If they're dry, then water them carefully. One of the biggest mistakes made is over-watering pot plants, so make sure your pot's got holes down here for drainage, and, that way, your roots won't get waterlogged or rot. These pot plants are relying on you for everything. Scary, huh? These plants need to be grown inside to keep really cold. They're plants from Sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. They can only grow in freezing, windy conditions. Keeping these winter-flowering poinsettias inside and in the dark tricks them to bloom in time for Christmas. We're going to make our own terrarium today. And that's what a terrarium is — a mini-glasshouse. And I've got Sofia and Liam to help me. Hey, guys.

SOFIA AND LIAM:

Hi, Nick.

NICK HARDCASTLE:

Alright. We can theme our terrarium any way we want. What should we make?

LIAM:

I think we should make a jungle.

SOFIA:

Yeah.

NICK HARDCASTLE:

Unreal. Well, our jungle needs a home, and this fish tank is perfect. It's nice and big, good access and you can put a lid on it. Sofia, what's the first step?

SOFIA:

You've got to have a layer of charcoal on the bottom.

NICK HARDCASTLE:

(Coughs) Next, add your potting mix. That's enough! That's enough! And spread it evenly, about 4cm-deep. Give the soil a light mist of water. A bit of a twist. Tap, tap, tap. And tickle the roots. Now let's get digging. Place your plants just how you've planned. Best to keep taller plants to the back and your smaller plants to the front. Sprinkle in some gravel or small rocks about the plants. And now grab some feature rocks or pieces of wood, before adding the piece de resistance, our jungle creatures. (Screams) Alright. This lid is great because it's got ventilation in it. If your lid doesn't, then keep it slightly ajar to let the air come in, or all that moist air is gonna turn our plants into mouldy, sloppy messes and you don't want that. So, does it look like a jungle?

SOFIA:

Not yet.

LIAM:

Not quite, Nick.

NICK HARDCASTLE:

(Chuckles) OK, maybe not quite, but we've left our plants with room to grow, and it soon will. You'll notice some droplets of water inside your terrarium. When they disappear, it's time to water it again. Remember — indoor plants always rely on you to look after them.